Shackled
by WonderfulCaricature
Summary: Fiyero just can't seem to get a handle on married life.
1. Chapter 1

**So starting a new fan fic is really the last thing I need to be doing. But let's be serious.**

**Fiyero's POV.**

**Disclaimer: I own Baako. **

I was promised to someone when I turned five years old. Not exactly what most five year olds are over the moons about, but I got my first Vinkun made bow, too, so I didn't care much at all. When I was thirteen, I the promise moved to betrothed after someone somewhere had decided that my _betrothed _was a woman. It was in all four of the papers we had circulating around the Vinkus. I was very much into girls at that age, and my father always talked about what an exotic beauty my wife would be. I imagined she looked like the fine beauties of Ev, and I lost all complaints. The buzz never really died down after that. People were mostly excited to figure out who the exotic beauty was and which tribe, kingdom or territory the Arjiki—and Vinkus by the 6th of 10 Vinkun Decrees—would be permanently tied to.

Baako and I used to lock ourselves in the archives to go through all families we were associated with to see who had daughters closer to my age than his. We had a list, but before the summer of my seventeenth birthday, all of the names had been crossed off from death or another betrothal. Two weeks before fall term started at Shiz, I was teaching Baako how to shoot flying game when my father had come out with a grin on his face and a letter in his hands. The seal on the envelope, along with a stiff and thick penmanship, was a very blue color. Baako perked up, and I frowned at it as I tried remembering all the lands where blue was the color. Fliaan, Jinxland, Kingdom of Dreams, Mulgravia, Munchkinland, and Weg. Fliaan was bare. Jinxland was unwelcoming of foreigners. King of Dreams had limited women's rights. I didn't even know what Mulgravia was. Munchkinland was Munchkinland. Weg was on the sea.

"We have an invitation," my father said, holding up the envelope. "To Munchkinland."

I scowled at Baako as he dropped the bows to double over with laughter. Father frowned at him before continuing, "It's her sister's birthday, and our presence has been requested. We'll leave at the close of the week."

And just like that we were on our way to Munchkinland. I still couldn't get my head wrapped around that. I didn't think I had been prejudice of people, but I can't say I was overly excited about being tied to a Munchkin for the rest of my life. What good was a short wife going to do me? And an exotic beauty? There was nothing exotic about a corn-fed, cow eating pimple with pigtails and hay fever. Saying that I was bitter about having to marry an easterner was an understatement. I had been told on multiple occasions the week leading up, and the ride there, to watch my expression.

A Gillikenese boy was waiting at the train station for us. He had been our welcoming party. I didn't catch his name, but I never forgot the sneer that had been on his face when I was introduced to him. Baako and my father liked him well enough, and he seemed amicable towards them. Smiling, joking, and laughing with them. He just glared at me.

Compared to the rest of the territory, the Governor's mansion was lavish. It shone in ways that the huts that the Munchkins lived in couldn't even get their windows to do. The lawns were lush and surrounded by fertile crops that died into the meager ones farmed by the rest of the city. I exchanged a look with my father. If the Gillikin saw it, he did great at pretending like he had never seen it. At the bottom of the large staircase that lead up to the mansion was the governor and his two daughters. Years and years of banquets, balls, and bullshit kept my face trained from gawking at the sight. Baako got his ear cupped, though, and was threatened to be hanged, drawn, and quartered if he didn't shut his mouth.

The Governor's daughters were a tragic pair. One was green and the other lame. _At least they aren't short, _I had thought bitterly. The daughter in the chair smiled brightly at us as we approached. The green girl went greener, if possible, and sharply turned to her father, begging him not to make her do this.

"Elphaba," the Governor had snapped, his eyes flashing dangerously.

My father coughed lightly when I sighed and straightened out my jacket. So this was the girl I was going to be spending the rest of my life with. Elphaba.

That was the moment I thought about as I started at the piece of metal that had been my wedding ring for the past four years on the nightstand. The girl next to me snored lightly, unaware of anything but her own dreams. Her hair was splayed across the pillows with the tips tickling at the skin of my neck and back. I pushed the covers off my legs and stayed still, waiting to see if the movement would wake her. When moments passed without her snoring breaking, I pushed myself off the bed and rushed in the dark to get dressed before the girl work up. For the most part, I was really lucky with this portion of the night. There had only been a time or two in the last three years where they would wake up and I would have to make up some line. The majority of them understood how it worked, though. Or they were just too worn out to notice anything. I liked to think it was that. I gave this girl one last look before grabbing my ring and escaping.

There were empty bottles and random pieces of clothes strewn about the hall I walked out into. I figured it was one of those off campus, edge of town dormitories for those who couldn't afford to live on campus until I opened the front door to see the ivory and marble that marked it as Crage Hall. Of course it was.

Avaric was still awake when I found my way back to the apartment we had claimed as our own. He had been the boy that had greeted us at the train station all those years ago. I wouldn't say we were friends, but we had a mutual understanding. When Elphaba had posed her interest in going to Shiz, since she was _robbed _of the opportunity before, her only stipulation was that Avaric go with her. Avaric had no interest in going back to Shiz. He had already obtained his degree in agricultural science the same year I got mine in politics. So going back to Shiz would mean having to go through the motions of another first degree or continuing study on agriculture: both equally bleak. The royal court, though, liked the stipulation even less, but they agreed to let Elphaba go to Shiz, taking Avaric with her, just so long as I was there, too.

She had never asked for anything from me since our wedding night, and she vocalized that as she pleaded with me. I told her I needed to talk it over with Baako, but here we were.

Elphaba was the only one who wanted to be here.

"You just missed your wife," Avaric said as I locked the door behind me. I glanced over at the clock. It was just barely past eleven. I was losing my touch.

"I'm sure I'll survive."

"She needs a new tailor."

"What?" I barked.

We had just hired a new one two months ago, because the last one had talked about the possibility of bleaching Elphaba's skin. Galinda had been in the room when it happened, and, well, no one knows how to cause a bigger scene than that puff of pink. Elphaba was too good of a person to do it herself, so I fired the tailor and brought in one recommended by the pink princess herself.

"She said they had a difference of opinions."

Tailors were not cheap. Sure, you can find them a dime for a dozen here and there, but only a handful were capable of making fine garments for royalty. And whether or not Elphaba cared to admit it, she was a royal. She had been able to snake her way around a lot of things that royalty was expected to have—don't even get my started on the fucking headdress and diadem—but our tailors were something we hardly compromised. We took pride in how we presented ourselves. If Elphaba had it her way, she'd still be wearing plain frocks and those ghastly combat boots. She still won't even wear heels. Even at the banquets and galas. She wears long dresses, so she can wear flats or, if she gets really lucky, the only style of boots we get her wear with her _finely tailored _frocks.

"There's always a difference of opinion with her."

Avaric raised his glass to me before looking back down at the text book he had opened. He had decided to specialize in agricultural crossbreeding. Most of his classes on the agriculture part were independent study and easy enough for him, but the genetics part of it all had him befuddled most of the time. He gave off the impression that he barely studied and was just skating by in his classes, but he studied almost as much as Elphaba and did almost as well as her. Avaric waved me off half-heartedly after I quickly washed up and told him I was going to the library for a bit.

It was only a five minute walk from our apartment to the library. I had complained when Avaric had picked it out, but it ended up being more convenient than I thought. After all the university stipulations, my father had decided that diplomacy would be my focus in politics. I spent more time in the library than I cared to admit. It's also the only place I tended to run into my wife. She was there during the day for the sake of escaping Galinda's neediness and other's ridicule, and she worked the nightshift every other day.

She was organizing books on a cart to be put back when I walked in to the library. Boq, a true bred Munchkin, though tall for his kind, grinned and gave me a small wave, but Elphaba didn't even turn around.

"You know, you can't fire a tailor every time she says she doesn't know what her stance is on Animal Rights."

Elphaba glanced over at me to roll her eyes, and Boq suddenly looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

"I'll go take the books back," he said, hurrying to steer the cart away.

"You can't even reach the top two shelves," Elphaba called quietly after him. He threw up his hand dismissively and disappeared through a door into another part of the library. "It wasn't like that this time," she added defensively, moving behind the desk to finish whatever the Munchkin man had been working on.

"Oh?"

"I'm well within my rights to fire and hire those I desire."

"She wasn't a cheap tailor, Elphaba."

Elphaba opened her mouth to respond and then shut it again like she wasn't quite sure if she wanted to say what she was thinking. I frowned at her. I'd been married to her long enough to have an idea of the thoughts going on. She chose to keep her mouth closed. Opting to pick at the corner of her own politics book on the desk instead.

Elphaba had also had her choice of study taken from her when she enrolled in Shiz. Being the crown princess comes with certain responsibilities. Since they don't exactly teach 'How to be a Princess 101', she was enrolled as a politics major. The coursework was lacking because of her being a woman, though. She had a private tutor on the side. Avaric said that the tutor mostly had her writing essays every week and participating in mock courts. Most people would have their hands full with that alone. If I had learned anything about Elphaba, though, was that she quite enjoyed proving people wrong. When the court told her that politics would be enough for a woman to handle, she stared at them as she signed her name on an appeal to dual degree in politics and natural sciences.

I have been assured that this will be an admirable quality to have in a wife when we eventually ascend to the throne. When dealing with others, I'm sure, but I was a bit worried to have it used against me.

"My dad is coming up tomorrow," Elphaba whispered, still picking at the book's edge.

There weren't many things we talked about. We talked about the weather when it drastically changed or failed to change. We argued over which outfits were appropriate for certain functions. We discussed motions that were on the table in the Vinkus, deals wanted to be made by allies, possibility of revolts by the other clans. We kept things business-related. Her family was something that went without saying. It had been pretty clear from the first time we met, though, that Elphaba and her dad were on completely different levels. If it wasn't obvious from his snappy comments at her, it was from his open favoritism of her sister.

She went on, "Madame Morrible doesn't think Nessa has the constitution for exams, so she let her write a couple hundred word essays and called it done for the term." Elphaba rolled her eyes again. It was a common occurrence with her. Though, when Avaric told me the other week, I was inclined to agree this time. There was still another two weeks of course review before exams. We all had papers and exams for almost every class. I never knew anyone who received the special treatment Nessarose did. "So he's coming up to collect her," Elphaba finished.

"Are we being called to dine with them?"

"No."

"So then why should there be a fuss?"

"He's my father, Fi-"

"When did he tell you he was coming?" She didn't say anything. As it always is, it was heavily implied she received the knowledge second hand. "So we already have plans," I told her. "I need to help you with one of your politics' papers, and you need me to go into town with you to find a damn dress after the sudden loss of another tailor."

"I can't just not-"

"Sure you can."

She let out a huff of breath but agreed.

When the next day came around, though, Elphaba was pounding incessantly on my front door at three in the afternoon with two satchels strapped across her chest and Galina in tow with a multitude of other things. The second I opened the door, she pushed past me with a grunt. Avaric watched her as she dropped her satchels on the nearest chair.

"Well, what a pleasant surprise, my darling," I said to her back. "What brings you to my lonely corner of the world?"

"Hi, Fiyero, Avaric," Galina smiled at us as I took some of the bags from her. I was nothing if not considerate.

"Galinda," I kissed her cheeks before she shed her coat and gloves. "Always a pleasure." Elphaba snatched the garment bags from me.

"Only if you brought something with you," Avaric added.

"My father's requested our presence at dinner," Elphaba explained, jiggling the knob to my bedroom. She was expecting someone to be on the other side, which was apparent from the breath she let out after opening it to reveal no one.

"And Oz forbid you deny him."

"I brought wine." Galinda pulled a bottle out of one of the bags.

"Would you deny your father?"

"Bless your soul," Avaric pushed away from the couch and grabbed a couple glasses.

"My father is King of the Vinkus. Yours is a Governor." I followed her into my bedroom as she took the dresses from the bags and hung them on available surfaces. For all our boundaries and reservations, Elphaba gave no second thought to temporary crossing them.

"_The _Governor," Elphaba corrected as she threw open my wardrobe.

"Center Munch is not impressive enough for him to be _The _Governor." She rolled her eyes at me. "Didn't we agree last night that we were busy?"

Elphaba flipped through the shirts in my closet, frowning at some and pulling others out. It was odd having her in my room for longer than a moment to tell me something. We had separate quarters back at Kiamo Ko. Right next to each other, but it was still the cause of a lot of gossip when it was first requested. No one gives it a second thought anymore, unless we have a new member of staff, but from time to time, someone does catch another calling Elphaba "The Virgin Queen". My father started docking the wages of every employee caught saying it to keep a scandal from arising. Elphaba almost had an anxiety attack about it the first time it happened, but Avaric managed to calm her down before anyone got suspicious.

She stopped her search for whatever picture of us she had in mind. Her fingers trailed over the soft fabric of one of my dress shirts and turned its cuff over a couple times.

"He never calls for me," was all she said before pulling out a simple white button up.

I took it when she held it out for me. Neither of us had mothers, and there were times when it was easy to forget Elphaba wasn't an orphan. Baako and I were the apples of my father's eyes. He had been there for us every step of our life. He was our biggest supporter and fairest critique. Elphaba didn't have that. Elphaba was the other Thropp child. So I took the plain white dress shirt and asked her what she wanted me to wear.

Galinda and Elphaba commandeered Avaric's bedroom, laying out everything they brought with them on every surface available. Avaric sent a few glares in their direction, but he mostly hugged the wine bottle as Galinda floated in and out of his room while Elphaba bathed. All her primping did make me a little nervous. She was voluntarily doing all this, and normally we had to drag her to get ready more than an hour before an event. Maybe she knew something that she wasn't telling me? I tried remembering when the last time we saw Frex was. It had to be at the start of term when he brought Nessarose to Shiz.

"Frex is going to die one day, and she's not going to know what to do with her newfound freedom." I mumbled as I held up a couple different ties to my neck in front of the mirror.

"Frex is never going to die for Elphaba."

I looked at him through the mirror, but he was too busy staring into the dark red liquid.

"You should probably wait til you leave to pick a tie. Galinda will have her changing outfits several times before deciding." Avaric commented as he moved to put the wine in the ice box.

I ignored his suggestion and picked out the tie that would best match Elphaba's skin tone. It didn't matter what design Galinda shoved Elphaba into, because we all knew that the colour would be black or some dark grey. If it's not black, grey, or school issued, Elphaba won't wear it. Our wedding had been delayed an hour, because when the tailor woke up, the pristine white gown had been colored black. He wasn't sure how she did it, but he put his life on accusing Elphaba of doing it. He said she had complained the entire day before about how white clashed with her skin (it really didn't) and that she would rather the dress be black. The next day it was black. My father had sentenced him to a public lashing for calling the crown princess a liar. That was the first tailor we fired.

True to history, Elphaba came out of Avaric's room in a black dress. This one wasn't frumpy like I had grown accustomed to. This dress fit her like a glove, accentuating the curves I was not aware she owned. Was this her dress? Did she actually own this?

"Well," I said, fixing my hair in the mirror, "we should invite your dad to dinner more often if it gets you to dress like a proper lady." I smirked at myself in the mirror, but yelped when Galinda's small hand purse smacked me between my shoulders. She was tiny, but for the love of Oz the woman was packed with dynamite.

"You look great, Elphie!" Galinda assured my green shackle at the uncertain look on Elphaba's face. She picked at the fabric as if she was trying to loosen it up, but it just kept tight to her body. "And look," the blonde nudged me, "no boots."

"Maybe we should just hire Galinda to be your tailor." I teased, earning another eye roll from Elphaba.

"Oh, sweetie, I have higher aspirations than a princess's tailor."

"She's no good at math either," Elphaba added.

There was a carriage waiting for us outside when half five rolled around. The driver rushed to help Elphaba into the carriage, but he stopped short at the darts she shot him. She still hadn't managed to capture the demure part of being royalty. She crawled into the thing herself, swatting even my hands away as I tried to be of aide. Damn feminist. The ride over was as eventful as could be expected by two halves of a business arrangement. I stared out the window, and she fidgeted with her dress, her hair, her nails…anything she could get her hands on.

"Can we-" Elphaba started but cut herself off as we drew closer to the city center. I tore my gaze off of the pretty girls in pretty dresses who were flaunting their own curves as they mingled about. Elphaba shifted under my attention, rubbing the edge of her thigh nervously through the sleek black fabric. "Can we pretend we're in love with each other?" A blush crept up her neck as she said it. "Or infatuated with each other," she corrected herself; and then one last time, "or at least like each other?"

"I don't dislike you," I told her.

She blinked at me and said, "I-oh." Well, I didn't dislike her. There were many other people I would rather keep company with, but I didn't dislike Elphaba. One day, eventually, she'd be the mother of my child. I couldn't dislike someone who'd give me something that great. "I don't dislike you."

I let out a short laugh, and the action caused Elphaba to close up a little. "So we're in love tonight." She nodded. "I don't see why our affections are any of your dad's business."

"I just want him to think that our marriage isn't as bad as he imagined it to be."

"And how did he imagine it?"

She hesitated for a moment. "Just as it is now," she said, turning her attention out the window, watching the pretty girls in pretty dresses that I had been staring at.

Nessarose looked as beautiful as ever. Her hair was pinned back with some jeweled hairpiece. She was a very sweet person. I couldn't take that away from her. She had a tendency to come off as an— I don't know—entitled spoiled brat. I supposed she really wasn't to blame, since her dad had been treating her like God's gift to Oz. She was a product of her upbringing. It was easy to dislike her, but sometimes I felt so guilty about doing so. She really was such a sweet girl. And Elphaba loved her, which was part of the problem. Elphaba loved her more than anything to the point where she'd probably risk her life to be with Nessarose. The problem was that I thought, and Avaric agreed, the sentiment wasn't always returned.

I placed my hand at Elphaba's lower back, startling her, before we caught the attention of her family. Nessarose smiled widely at us. She did not look like someone who was worrying about upcoming papers and exams, and I truly envied her for it. The Governor was just as morose looking as he was the last time I saw him. Whenever I saw him, really. He didn't even look pleased at our wedding. I had asked Elphaba if he always looked like that or if it was just when I was in his company. She had stared at me for a moment before locking herself in the bathroom until I fell asleep.

"Elphaba, you look stunning!" Nessarose patted the seat next to her excitedly when we approached the table they had reserved for the four of us.

"It's a little ostentatious, don't you think?" Frex asked, giving her appearance sour once over.

"It was a gift from the Queen of Ix." Elphaba smoothed out the sides of the dress and gave the dress a slight frown.

"I, for one, am inclined to agree with Miss Nessarose," I kissed Elphaba's cheek, immediately feeling her heat up at the action, and pulled out the chair for her.

"Nessa's always been a nice person," The Governor said.

"And Elphaba more than I deserve."

"Madame Morrible said this place has the best selections of teas in Shiz," Nessa handed her dad a menu. As varying as the Thropps were, each of them was a genius in their own right. "You might want to try the chocolate chai, Fiyero. Elphaba said it's your favorite."

"Yeah," I grunted before taking the seat between Elphaba and Frex.

I took Elphaba's hand as Nessarose was telling Frex about how Madame Morrible was turning out to be the best caretaker she's had. Elphaba blinked rapidly for a little bit, bringing her cup of tea up to her lips but not drinking it. I kissed the back of her hand and rested our hands on the table, keeping my eye on Frex. My father had always been present whenever Elphaba and I were in the company of her dad. There was always some social function we'd all be present at, so it was only proper that both families meet up for a meal of some sort. But never had it just been Elphaba and I without some member of Vinkun royalty.

It annoyed me more than I thought it would. She was his daughter. She was the crown princess of the Arjiki clan, set to rule the Vinkus alongside me. I didn't know much about the political landscape of Munchkinland, but I knew that she was Third Thropp Descending, which meant Munchkinland would be under her control when her grandfather kicked the bucket. One day, eventually, our child would inherit the Vinkun throne and the high title in Munchkinland. She was one of the most, if not the most, powerful women in Oz, and here he was treating her like she was a waste of space. This was what she couldn't miss? This was the man she had to get dolled for?

"I would have never passed if it weren't for Elphaba," Nessarose was saying, sending Elphaba another grateful smile halfway through the salads.

"Oh, Nessa, you're much better than you give yourself credit for," Elphaba assured her sister earnestly, "I just needed to change up your points a bit." I choked on the vegetable I had been chomping on. A bit? Avaric had said that Elphaba basically outlined Nessarose's essays for her.

"You're not failing your classes, are you?" Frex asked Elphaba. I couldn't decide whether to be impressed that he spared her any attention or displeased at the negative way he phrased it.

"No," pride slipped through the smile she gave him, "quite well, honestly."

"Double majoring and minoring," I added, "and working fulltime at the library." I was thrown a warning look by both sisters this time.

"Whenever do you have time to be Master Tiggular's wife?" Frex asked, looking at Elphaba directly this time.

"Prince Tiggular, actually," I corrected. "I'm curious to know if you would address her so if-"

"I will address my daughter anyway I please, _Prince _Tiggular."

"But not the Crown Princess of the Arjiki and future Eminence of Munchkinland," I glance around before going on, "I assure you, _Governor_, your city does not have to be vital to the diplomacy between the Vinkus and Munchkinland."

Frex's eyes flashed over to Elphaba briefly before skirting back to me, "Are you threatening me, sire?" He asked with all the calm and collectedness one could imagine.

"Just refreshing your memory on propriety and diplomacy. You'll have to forgive me: all my studies put diplomacy at the front of my brain."

The table grew tensely silent as the waitress brought out the dinner. Elphaba always got the vegetarian option wherever we went. I had never heard her define herself as a vegetarian, but I had been present many times when she would go off on a rant about the dwindling rights of Animals and their lack of proper recognition and protection. I figured she just refused to eat meat if she didn't know exactly where it was coming from, right down to its parental history and chromosomes. The Governor had ordered for her, though, so a fillet of fish was placed among the greens on her plate.

"I have business to tend to in Quadling Country the week after next, and it could take anywhere from a week to a month for negotiations. Nessa very well can't run the house on her own, so I need you both to be there to help her keep the staff in line." Nessa can't even run a house on her own, yet she's due to take over the Governorship in the Governor's long awaited passing. I assumed, though, this was the reason we were here. He needed a very public setting to guilt Elphaba into helping.

"My father-"

"I've already written His Majesty," I noticed the bite behind the honorifics, "and I'm sure we'll both be receiving his response with the week."

"Of course," I agreed.

Though, it really didn't matter what my father's response was, Elphaba would advocate to help her sister. I knew it, Frex knew it, and the inanimate table knew it.

I stopped a waitress when she passed as Frex was telling us that the budget would take care of our expenses should we run out of what he so kindly provided. His words came to an abrupt halt, and I did not miss the look he gave me for interrupting his flow. Without giving him a glance, I asked the waitress, if it wasn't too much of a burden, if she could bring out a vegetarian equivalent of Elphaba's meal. I told her that it was an old Vinkun superstition that women trying to conceive must steer clear of seafood. Frex lost his place. Nessarose turned the most magnificent shade of pink. And the waitress begged for Elphaba's forgiveness, calling her "Your Grace" and wishing her the best of fortune, before taking the fish dish to exchange.

"You're trying to conceive?" Frex asked after he cleared his throat.

"It is one of the most important duties I have," Elphaba said over the top of her tea cup.

"You've not even finished school."

I opened my mouth to respond, but Elphaba beat me to it, "We don't mind practicing."

I was going to buy her a drink.

When the waitress brought out a different plate, the chef came out with her. He explained the composition of the meal: how each vegetable symbolized something different for health and well wishes, how the garnishments were known in the North to bring good fortune for conception, and how the dressing was meant to signify the protection of the husband over the wife. Nessarose broke out into a quick and silent fit of giggles as the chef poured the off white dressing over the grain on the plate. She bit her bottom lip, and her face contorted as she tried to contain herself after the warning glance the Governor sent her. I winked at her. We were on the same page.

"Thank you so much," Elphaba grinned at pair of workers. "I didn't mean to be such a bother."

"Never, my Princess," the chef gave her a small bow before leaving us to our meal.

"Well," I sighed, cutting the chicken on my own plate and holding Frex's gaze, "at least we can always rely on the working class to reciprocate respect."

**Fiyero is in the last year of his Master's degree, and Elphaba, being fast tracked, is in the last year of what would be her Bachelor's. **

**I know, I know, I know arranged marriage AUs are nothing new in this neck of fan fics, but it would mean the world if you gave me a chance:)**

**Interested? Intrigued? Let me know in a review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much for all the support! I'm glad you like it!**

**So I wasn't intending to update til tomorrow, but I finished an essay I needed to get done a lot earlier than expected. My goal is to get the next one out either the day after tomorrow or before the end of the weekend. So in the meantime, here you go!**

**Disclaimer: I own the random transitions between UK English and US English. I'm sorry, but my keyboard is just not having the sticking to one spelling. **

_In the past century, Munchkinland has experienced a heavy shift in the tumultuousness of their politics, from alliances within the State and outside of it, _I read in a ridiculously lengthy tome finished a year before my marriage. _Time and time again, revolts have arose in several local municipalities, threatening the power held by the Thropp Dynasty for the last three hundred years. Though small and spread out, they have increased in number since His Eminence has ascended. In recent years disputes have taken place as to whom the rightful Thropp Descending shall be. With the 1st and 2nd Thropp Descending no longer in a position (may peace be with their decaying bodies) to take the seat at the time of His Eminence's unfortunate passing, questions have been asked over the legitimacy of the Thropp 3rd Descending. Unknown and unverified sources claim her devilish affliction should be cited as investigation and probation of reign. The opposition counters with the question of whether her sister would be able to take a stand and march our fair Munchkinland into the future._

I dropped the book onto the library table. It echoed through the silent room and earned me several intense glares from people working on papers they had put off til the very end. Tibbett looked up at me with raised brows from the sonnet he was attempting to translate. He was in his final semester of continued studies. We were in a science class together when I first came to Shiz and several language classes. He had majored in theatre and minored in ancient languages, so when he came back to continue his studies he made his focus on theatre of dead languages. He only had one actual class, and the rest of his work was independent. He was nearly finished with translating a book of sonnets from a language that was so removed that no one even knew what to call it.

"Your dramatics never cease to amaze me," he commented quietly.

"I just don't understand."

"Well, then it's a good thing you're so pretty."

"Munchkinland politics," I clarified.

He repeated himself, though a smirk played at his lips. I stared at Tibbett when he went back to analyzing the text in front of him. His hair was done in a braid he called 'fishtail' with a dark purple and light blue ribbon weaved into it. The liner her was wearing matched the purple, and his finger nails matched the blue. My father wasn't really sure how to handle it when he had come home for the winter holidays with me, bringing along his friend Crope. I think he just got used to it after a while. My future wife was green, and my friend liked to express all shades of the rainbow. It just seemed that my life, and the people in it, was meant to be colorful. Tibbett let out a put-upon sigh and gently laid his materials on the table as he caught my stare.

"Why are you studying up on Munchkinland politics?"

"Elphaba and I had dinner with her father yesterday," I started.

"Elphaba told Galinda, Galinda told Boq, Boq told Crope, and Crope told me." The gossip mill here was impressive.

"Is Frexspar always that uncomfortable to be around?" I asked, though I wasn't really expecting an answer. "I mean, I've met unpleasant people, but I spent the majority of dinner thinking of ways I could get away with murder."

Tibbett clicked his tongue.

"And the way he treated Elphaba-"

"Are you really in a position to judge anyone on the way they treat Elphaba?" I frowned at him. "How many belts have you gone through since getting married?"

"I could have you sentenced for talk like that."

"But you won't." Tibbett glanced over at the door as someone—Crope—made a slight commotion as he walked in. His skirts had gotten caught in the door as it closed. "I'm just saying what you already know, what you already believe: no one likes a hypocrite. If the political situation and public opinion in Munchkinland upset you, then you're in a perfect position to change it."

"Hiya!" Crope whispered excitedly as he plopped into the seat next to Tibbett, planting a wet and sloppy kiss on his cheek and leaving lipstick behind. "What are you two up to?"

"I'm trying to translate Shakes of Pier, and Fiyero is attempting to deal with hypocrisy."

"I just killed my brother after learning he was sleeping with my lover and my mother. It was very scandalous. Awful direction, but beautifully written." Crope was specializing in stage acting. I was still unsure of the relationship between Crope and Tibbett.

"Fiyero is struggling to grasp Munchkinland politics."

"It's a good thing you're pretty." Crope laughed with a wink. I scowled at him. "Boq was telling me that Elphaba had some pretty words for Doctor Nikidik today in lecture, and she had some to spare for Fanny. The girl who sits next to Boq told him that Galinda told her that Fanny was taking it to the paper. She's real upset."

I wasn't worried. My father bought out the papers after Elphaba got caught calling Galinda some choice words last year. We had to be prepared for Elphaba's spitfire. It was also really handy when girls went in with rumors about me. It was just the best for everyone.

"Did you see what she's wearing, though?" Tibbett asked as he wrote a possible translation down.

"What's she wearing?" I snapped.

"Oh, yeah," Crope brushed a finger under his eye to wipe off any running paint. "As long as she's not walking, she can really pull it off."

"She should let Galinda dress her every day."

"Crope, Tibbett."

"She reminds of Silipede back in the day." Crope nodded in agreement.

I stayed in the library long after Crope had left to get back to rehearsals and Tibbett to catch the last showing of whatever play Crope was in. Both told me they'd see me later night. Boq's shift had come and gone, and dinnertime had passed as I read and reread the first chapter of the damned book. A pretty girl with long red hair had come over for about an hour and asked me about myself, told me about herself and left me with her room number. I tore it up after she had left. She was in Crage Hall, way too close to Elphaba's room. I did have some reservations about the girls I found. Her floor was off limits, as was the room above, below, and kiddie corner to hers. It's one thing to know about the rats in the walls but another to hear them.

My notebook started filling up with more questions about the political situation in Munchkinland than it did with any understanding. The seat of Eminence had become more of an executive and scapegoat position than anything else. The Eminence was there to sort out disputes between cities or regions in Munchkinland. They officiated marriages if the couple so desired or if they declared no religion. Their personal funds funded the three orphanages in the territory. And they were responsible for foreign diplomacy in the country. So even if a diplomat was working in Centre Munch, if anything were to happen because of the diplomat being there or because of the diplomat, the Eminence was held accountable for the actions. So if I had been invited to some other area of Munchkinland and knocked up a girl there, the Eminence would decide my fate. The common critique of the Eminence position was that the local municipalities didn't like the power being that centralized. Even though it didn't seem to be like that at all.

It further proved my suspicion that Munchkinland was full of uneducated idiots.

I flirted my way into a free dinner around nine. Well, I may have done a little more than flirt. But either way, technicalities, a pretty little blonde brought me a salad and green tea from the café on campus after I had done some convincing. She blushed to the point where I was sure her skin would forever be red as she left me alone just before ten before ten. I stuffed what I could in my satchel and disappeared in the bathroom to clean myself up. When ten rolled around, I left out the side door and re-entered through the front door with the meal in my hands.

Elphaba was facing me this time, but her attention was on the list in her hands. And for the love of all things good in the Vinkus, whatever she was doing to the pen in her mouth should not have made me stop as it did. Well, no. _That_ was only part of the problem. It was the dress and blazer. The jewelry she was wearing. I didn't even really notice that she paired it all with a pair of her black boots. She was different. She was noticeably different. I didn't know who the difference was for. Avaric maybe? I ignored the feeling that settled over me and cleared my throat as I headed towards her.

"We've got to stop meeting like this, my love."

"Stalking people is illegal in all of Oz," she said, checking something off on the list.

"_Stalking_. You make it sound so dirty. I'm a hunter, not a stalker."

She motioned to the salad and tea in my hands, "I'm sure I don't need to remind you that you're not allowed to eat or drink in here."

"I bought it for you," she looked at me, "Avaric is always talking about how you don't take enough care of yourself."

"You bought that?"

"Salad, no meat. Green tea, no cream, no sugar."

"Curious." She went back to her list, turning her back to me. I wasn't prepared for the view the back of her outfit offered. Part of me was a little upset with her for hoarding these goods for herself. "I was in line behind a girl ordering the same thing for the _most devilishiously handsome man._"

"Well, that's weird," I mumbled, forcing myself to look at the back of her head and not at the point where the fabric of her skirt stopped.

"I don't flaunt what my exploits yield, I'd appreciate the same consideration, Fiyero."

I snorted, "You don't have exploits."

She raised a brow, challengingly. I didn't know what to say, so I took a page from her book and rolled my eyes.

"I got a letter from my father," I sighed. "He thinks spending some time in Munchkinland would be a great opportunity to show the people my extension to Munchkinland is not just by marriage and one day, eventually, an heir." A slow smile crept over Elphaba's face before she pursed her lips to hide it. "I'll make arrangements to get us there as soon as our last exam concludes."

"I only have three on Tuesday. All others are papers." And she's probably already finished them.

"I'll book an afternoon train on Wednesday then, and we can leave after I finish with my morning exam." Her face broke out into a wide grin as she nodded and clutched the list close to her chest. "Alright, stop it before you give me the warm fuzzies. I need to check this out, if you'd be so kind."

I handed her the book about Munchkinland without moving closer towards the desk. Mostly so I could watch her walk to me and then away from me. She paused when she opened the front cover, glanced at me, and quickly got back to business.

"I heard it's a droll read," she commented indifferently.

"I think it depends on who's reading it," I shrugged. "You may need to help me keep track of all the positions of power, though. I've never been good at memorizing the complexity of politics in Munchkinland."

"You're much better than you give yourself credit for." She handed me the book.

"I bet you say that to all the pretty faces." I smirked, taking the book and putting it in my satchel among the other books I had checked out throughout the day.

"Good night, Fiyero. I'm sure I'll find you _hunting _in the shadows some other time this week."

"Love makes hunters of us all, Elphaba."

Just about two weeks later, if she were anyone but Elphaba she would have been jumping up and down with excitement on the train ride over to Oz forsaken Munchkinland. We wouldn't arrive at the station until late in the night, but that didn't stop her from glancing out the window every other thirty or so minutes. Her constant movement drew my attention to every little thing about the way her body moved. I know. I understand how creepy it made me look to watch her when she leaned over to grab something from the seat next to her, craned her neck to get a better look at something out the window, or even just took a deep breath to calm herself down. I was always a fan of people watching, but I don't think I had ever taken the time to watch my own wife.

When she was looking out the window, she would remain perfectly still. The picture of collected. The rise and fall of her chest gave her nerves away, though. It was erratic, and at times she would let out a silent huff of breath; her chest sharply falling the only give away. She had shed her coat for the ride to Center Munch, and instead of the long sleeves she usually wore, these ones cut off so that her entire arm was visible. The expanse of green was fascinating. The way her muscles worked underneath. Unlike the pretty girls whose beds I fell into, I couldn't see Elphaba's veins under the green of her skin, but the bones in her hands and wrists were as clear as day. She'd drum her fingers against her side as she crossed her arms and stared down at a book in her lap, and I couldn't look away. My favorite, though, was her neck, which was what I was watching when she caught me looking.

"Stop it," she snapped her book shut, startling me from whatever fantasy was starting to brew.

"You've picked up this funny habit of accusing me of things I know nothing about."

"I'd say you've picked up this new habit of lying, but we both know you're no stranger."

Ouch. _Ouch. _But okay. Fine. I had it coming.

"This is going to be the longest journey we've taken together, we may as well drop the hidden hostilities."

"I'm not hostile."

"And I shit confetti and clouds." A lazy grin graced her face. I counted it as a triumph. "Tell me something," I waved my hand airily. I would take any conversation compared to the silence we'd been in for the past few hours.

"Like what?"

"Why isn't your hemline below the knee?" It came out with more snap than I had imagined it. It wasn't my fault. You don't just wear frocks for four years of marriage and then suddenly start dressing the part of crown princess. The way Elphaba's brows shot up told me that it sounded just as accusatory to her as it did to me. "I mean, your style. Where are the frocks?"

"Does it bother you?" She asked, crossing her legs.

I couldn't tell if she did it self-consciously or intentionally. Either way, it wasn't fair. The hem rode up to her mid-thigh, and I'm just saying, that was more leg than I had ever seen from her. It would have been like my great-grandmother showing my great-grandfather her ankle. I just wasn't prepared for all these new sensations shooting through me at random moments, and I wasn't sure how to deal with them. Of course, I _knew _what they were. I wasn't new to this dance. But the partner I wanted had changed drastically. Elphaba didn't dance, though. Elphaba had never danced, probably would never dance. I was stuck mash potato-ing myself. Or mixing with the squash, which is not the same.

"Surprise me," I steered clear of any cut throat responses.

"Avaric said you accused of him of sleeping with me." The bastard. I was intoxicated and trying to figure out Elphaba's new wardrobe. I _may _have asked (yelled) him if he was knocking uglies with my wife. My inebriated state implied it was confidential.

"I did not accuse Avaric of sleeping with you." I had said '_fucking'_. "I'm just curious," I crossed my arms and slouched in my seat some.

Bless her, she took pity on me after a few moments, "There was this magazine." The way she said it made me sit back up. She had uncrossed her legs and was picking at the hemline again. I nudged her knee lightly when she didn't go on. She shrugged a shoulder and gave a quick roll of her eyes, "One of the kind that Galinda's friends read. It was just a stupid teenage girl read. It's not that important. I just thought it would be a good idea to change some dresses out."

"You don't have to change to please anyone, Elphaba."

She drew back a little, giving me a look she never had before, a look I didn't even recognize. She licked her lips and stood up.

"I'm going to go see if they have a meal cart here." The door slammed when she shut it. Her money pouch was still sitting by the window.

"Brilliant, Fiyero, just brilliant."

Elphaba was gone for two hours. I had no clue what she could have been doing in that time, but she left me alone in the compartment with nothing to do but read about Munchkinland politics for two hours. I let out a long sigh of relief when the door opened to reveal my wonderful green shackle and refreshments. She shut the door with her hip and handed me one of the cups she was holding and a bag that had been dangling from one of her wrists. Chocolate chai tea and an almond butter biscuit. I didn't ask who paid for them.

I motioned to her drink, "Will you let me try?"

"You don't like green tea," she said, but she was running her thumb over the brim where her lips had just been.

"I've never tried it." Elphaba handed me her cup and took mine when I offered it.

She watched me with her lips poised just before my own cup. A small smile skirted over her lips at my initial reaction to the bitter tea.

"I told you." Her smile turned too smug for my liking. I held the cup close to my chest when she held her hand out for it. "I'd prefer to keep this cup, if you don't mind."

"You don't like it," she repeated.

"Maybe I do." She threw me a skeptical look. "The looks I give can be deceiving."

The eye roll told me she was acquiescing. "You can't have my biscuit."

"Good. I hate passion fruit." Her face contorted into the same expression it had before she had stormed out (because that was definitely storming out), but she stayed this time and sipped my chocolate chai in silence.

The train whistle sounded, letting us know that we were nearing the Center Munch station. Elphaba was up in a flash, tucking things away into her bag, handing me things to put in mine, and struggling to get into her coat. She stilled instantly when I helped into the coat. Another train whistle blew, and I grabbed the luggage while Elphaba took our hand luggage.

She walked with sure steps, like she always did, but there was something new to her step that I couldn't quite place. She kept pace beside me with her fingers laced through mine (like we always did in public), and if I didn't know any better, I'd say there was a little bit of strut in her walk. I smiled, nodded, and waved at a few Munchkins we passed who recognized us. Of course they recognized us. Well, if not me personally, me by association. Whatever had gotten into Elphaba, though, was quickly put out when we were nearing our carriage. A little girl, probably no older than five, was sitting on the steps of the carriage but popped up when she noticed us.

The girl had a nasty scar running down the side of her face, leaving the skin around it a very pale white compared to the sun-kissed complexion of the rest of her face. Her hair had been parted in a way that tried to hide the mark, but there was no hairstyle in Oz that could manage that.

"Hi," she squeaked when we approached. Her eyes were set on Elphaba.

"Hey, there, kiddo," I waved off the driver when he apologized, saying he tried to get her to scram, and knelt down next to the girl. "What's your name?"

"Ryia," the small child answered.

"Where are your parents, Ryia?"

"At home."

"What are you doing all the way out here by yourself?" I tried not to frown too much. What kind of parent just lets their child go gallivanting at night?

Ryia dropped her voice to a hushed whisper, as if only Elphaba and I were meant to hear it, "I wanted to see the Princess."

"Ah," I nodded and stood up, "she is a woman to see, isn't she?"

"Where do you live, Ryia?" Elphaba crouched carefully as she asked, concern written all over her face. I imagined she pictured Nessarose being out all by herself in the night.

"Just past the market," Ryia pointed over her shoulder.

"Don't you think your parents are missing you?"

Elphaba tentatively took Ryia's hand which the girl completely reciprocated by grasping onto the contact and grinning like it was her lucky day.

But she shook her head, "I had to see you," and then she nodded. "You're my favorite fairytale."

I stared at Elphaba as so many different emotions played over her face. Of course I had spent time with her before, longer than this even, but this was the first time I cared to watch her close enough. She was very expressive, though only for short bursts. She may not have mastered the art of shutting her mouth, but she was becoming a pro at closing in her emotions. The first sincere smile I had seen in a long time, though, took over her face, lighting it up. She leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Ryia's forehead (a camera flashed somewhere around us, which I must say was quite impressive technology for Munchkinland to have), and I thought the girl was going to spontaneously self-combust.

"Why don't you have this?" Elphaba suggested as she unclasped the necklace from her neck. I'm pretty sure it had been a gift from me on some holiday. Or maybe for some gala that we needed to attend. Whatever. She fixed it on Ryia's neck, though. "A reminder that fairytales can still come true."

**A couple things on Tibbett: In my mind, he's reminiscent of Jehan from Les Mis. Also, he's attempting to translate Shakespeare. Obviously he's having a couple issues.**

**Elphaba's new wardrobe is influenced by Lily van der Woodsen and Kate Middleton.**

**And Ryia is pronounced 'R-ee-uh'. **

**So? What are your thoughts? Still liking it?**


	3. Chapter 3

**You guys are the best! Honestly. I'm thrilled that you're so receptive to it! **

**I really fell in love with the idea of Elphaba and Fiyero hanging out in a dive bar while their dressed up to the nines. So I give you this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Nessarose had put me and Elphaba in a room together. Which made sense. We were married, and I'm sure Elphaba hadn't told her sister that we have separate rooms. Nessarose would surely tell her dad, and Elphaba's pretense of being in a loving and happy marriage would be squashed. So we were in the same room with one sheet, one blanket, two pillows, and one regular sized bed. We had stared at it when we were first shown to our room. I knew we were both trying to assess the situation, because what the hell were we supposed to do? I spoke up first, telling her that it would be fine for the night. We could just stick to different sides of the mattress, and in the morning we could request a larger bed, at least. Maybe a room with a couch.

"Sure," Elphaba had replied in a small, strangled tone.

I should make it perfectly clear that I have never slept in a bed with someone else. I was either out of bed before falling asleep, or I was kicking them out before they fell asleep. So I really, honestly, could not have foreseen that I turn into an octopus when someone else's warm body, on a cold winter night, is in my bed. I did, though. I apparently sought out human contact in my unconscious state. Because when I woke up, I was no longer stiffly hugging the edge of the bed with my back facing my wife. No. One leg was pushed between hers, hooking us together. One arms was wrapped around her, keeping her pinned to my chest. And my face was nuzzled into her neck like this was completely normal.

Of course, it wasn't the smoothness of her legs I noticed first. It wasn't the way she was pressed up against me. And it wasn't the smell and heat radiating from the skin at her neck either. It was the morning. It was the horrible nighttime affect that biology has on a man (or maybe it was Elphaba's fault). Everything took a moment to process. I had never woken up like this before, so my mind needed to figure out what the fuck was going on. When it did, though, I was up with a start. I rolled over and away from Elphaba as quick as I could, but not quick enough to not notice the traumatized look on her face. We were never going to make an heir now. The Arjiki were going to lose their power, and all because I traumatized my wife with my penis before anything could even happen.

"I'm sorry," I croaked out when I thought my voice would not croak.

Elphaba cleared her throat lightly, "Um," she paused, "you can use the bathroom first." I nodded with my head still in my hands. I had a name picked out and everything. "I'll just find a washbasin."

I waited to get up until the door had closed behind Elphaba. There was a tap in the bathroom on one side of the room, and on the other side was a contraption to heat up the water. I looked at the contraption for a while before deciding that a cold bath would be preferable to tapping myself off before the sun had even hit late morning. Obviously it was pure torture. I can't even remember the last time I forced myself to take a cold bath just to get rid of an erection. I lowered myself into the fucking water and let out a series of grunts as I laid my head back against the rim. I was out before I could even sing the alphabet. It was too cold already for a cold bath. So I just sucked up the shame and did what I had to do.

Nessarose and Elphaba were at the dining room table when I found them about an hour later. Elphaba's hair was braided and thrown over her shoulder. She had her glasses back on, and she was frowning down at a paper on the table in front of her. The best part was the fact that she was wearing one of her frocks and a cardigan. I felt like punching the air. There's only so much I could handle. I was not in the mood to see my wife's knees or elbows today. I plopped down in the seat at the head of the table. I assumed Frex normally sat there, and I wanted nothing more than to sit in his 'throne' while he was out. Neither sister spared me any attention.

One of their very limited staff members set a bowl of hot eggs in front of me, and I could have melted at the overwhelming smells that hit me. It seemed like Munchkinland was capable of doing some things right.

I was tucking in peacefully but completely dropped my fork when Nessarose asked, "How did you two sleep?"

Elphaba frowned at my response as she answered, "The bed is a little small." Then she turned to her sister, "Is there any way we could get a larger bed?"

Her sister's face pulled into a sympathetic frown, "Sorry, that's the only room we have available."

"Only room available?" I gawked. "Miss Nessarose, you have more rooms here than we have at Kiamo Ko. There has to be a bigger bed we can have."

Nessarose shot me a look much like glare, "We have rules we abide by here. Daddy can't just place a Winkie anywhere."

Before I could do anything, Elphaba's hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.

"It's fine, Nessa," she smiled placating at the little devil in training. "We both move around a lot at night, but we can make this work."

Winkie! She called me a Winkie! _Vinkuns_ didn't even call our worst internal enemies Winkies. I didn't go around calling Munchkins Munchers or something. Where did she even get off saying that? Who did she think she was? And was she really implying that Elphaba and I were being segregated to one portion of this immense building just because I was born a westerner? I scowled at her as I pushed my eggs away. Suddenly I wasn't so hungry for any food from an unelected official's lame daughter. I was well aware of Elphaba's intense gaze on me, but I continued with her sister. One day, eventually, she was going to die, and the next legitimate heir to her title would be a _Winkie's _child. And who would rule in place of that child until she or he came of age? Well, I'd damn well make sure the regent would be a _Winkie. _Winkie!

"Why are we even here?" I barked out the second Nessarose left the room to go brush her hair or something.

"If you're going to get bent out of shape over one comment, maybe you should be the one taking royal preparation classes."

"_Vinkuns _have gone to war over less."

"We are not waging war on my hometown just because my sister accidentally called you a derogatory name."

"That wasn't an accident!" I snapped. "She put us in that shitty room because of me being from the Vinkus. That is deliberate, Elphaba."

"It's a policy of my father's."

"Policies are public. This is a personal-"

"You're making this into a bigger issue-"

"Winkie! She called me a Winkie!"

Elphaba slammed the paper in her hands down on the table, effectively cutting off any train of thought in my mind.

"It will be fine, Fiyero." She moved her braid from one shoulder to the other. "We'll be back at Shiz in a few weeks. We can make the bed situation work as long as I'm not assaulted with your penis every morning."

"I bet you don't have an issue when Avaric's assaults you."

She didn't even answer me right away. She stared at me like I was out of my damn mind. She threw her hands up like she was done with me. No noise came from her mouth, though. I'd say it was a triumph, but it felt like the furthest thing.

"Your father sent over a schedule for us for the next few weeks. Center Munch always has a festival in honor of the holidays, and festival kickoff is tomorrow afternoon. We'll be attending that. Tonight there's a banquet instating Boq's father as mayor of one of two municipalities here, and we will be attending that as a personal favor to Bfee and his wife." Elphaba pushed the paper over to me. "You can look it over. We're going to every one of them, and Nessa is coming with us."

I stared at the paper but didn't take it.

Elphaba made an irritated sound before standing up. "There's a tailor about fifteen minutes from here. Your father said he had some garments made for you already." I licked my lips and nodded minutely. She let out another sound and started for the door. "Fiyero-"

"What?" I bit, looking over at her. She was stopped just before the door; her hand was messing with something on the frame. Only half her face was turned towards me, so I couldn't catch anything from her expression. I repeated myself more softly.

"Don't sleep with anyone here. Please."

She moved so that she could catch my eye. I didn't say anything.

"This is a small town. I know most of the girls here, and they all know me. I know you're going to do what you're going to do, but, please, just don't do it here."

"Alright," I agreed without giving it much thought. "You have my word."

She thanked me and left, and I wasn't sure how to handle that. This wasn't something we talked about, but obviously it was understood what was happening when she wasn't present. I knew she knew, and I know how horrible it sounded, but it didn't bother me that she knew. There was a part of me that believed she was always going to be that girl begging her father not to make her do it. It was first impression I ever had of her, and it wasn't just going to go away. This reaction to this question was haunting, though. It was the first time a pang of guilt had ever hit me. Elphaba had _thanked _me for agreeing not to sleep with anyone for the winter holiday spent in Munchkinland. She _thanked _me.

I was a man of my word, though. So when I went down to the tailor to pick up the garments for me, I remembered my wedding ring and deliberately brandished it to the pretty girl working there. She had short blonde hair that was a little tousled, and I thought of so many things that I could do, but I did not do those things. I said hello to her when I walked in. I told her my wife had told me there was some garments waiting for me. I asked her how much they were going to cost. I denied the discount she was prepared to offer me for being _the best looking customer she's had. _I thanked her for making the garments. I left the store, walked down to the bar a few buildings down, and knocked a warm shot back before going on with my day.

Munchkinland didn't seem to be completely full of ugly swine. Either that or the fact that I promised I wouldn't do anything made everything look appealing. I swore that on my walk from the bar to the bookstore I had to have passed at least four pretty girls who'd have done pretty things to and for me. I just kept walking, though. I kept walking and completely devoted myself to trying to figure out mathematical formulas I had never been able to understand.

"Fiyero?" I looked up from my fingers when I walked into the bookstore at the sound of a familiar voice. Boq was standing at the beginning of one of the aisles with an arm load of books. "What are you doing here?"

"Do not tell you haven't heard." I said while adjusting my satchel. "I know how the gossip mill runs."

"I mean _here_." He clarified with a very impressive wave of his arm around the area in front of him.

"What's a derogatory word to call Munchkins?"

"Um."

"I pissed Elphaba off this morning."

"Ah," Boq nodded. "Well, I'm not exactly knowledgeable in marital affairs, but I don't think calling her a derogatory term would put you in better footing."

"My ever lovely sister-in-law called me a Winkie this morning." Boq frowned at me as I continued, "Elphaba and I have different views on what's appropriate and topics that ought to be talked about. I may have crossed the line on a few things." I shrugged at the end. Bringing Avaric into the conversation probably wasn't the brightest idea.

"So you came here looking for her?"

"Oh, no. She's helping Nessarose primp for tonight's banquet." Nessarose took longer than a queen to get ready. I moved past Boq towards the folklore and fable section of the tiny shop. "We were in Quadling Country last spring, and Elphaba lost her favorite book there. She just hasn't gotten a chance to replace it. I figured I'd get her a copy from here as an apology."

"You know her favorite book?"

"Of course I know her favorite book, Boq. Do you have it?" I asked, skimming over the shelves. "It's called-"

"Yeah, it's in the back." Boq interrupted, setting the books in his arms down on the table. "I'll be right back."

I didn't even notice the pretty girls I passed on the way back to the Governor's Mansion. I did, though, figure out the sum of x. I think. I'd pretend.

There were a few staff members cleaning up around the place when I walked in. They told me that Elphaba was up in our room when I asked. The door wasn't locked, and Elphaba was no longer in her frock from this morning. Nothing from this morning was the same about her.

Like the stalker she accused me of being, I stood in the threshold of the door and watched her as she was getting ready. I could see her black slip under the fine white robe she was wearing. She must have borrowed it from Nessarose, because it wasn't, to my knowledge, something she owned. Though, she was turning out to own a lot of things I didn't know about. There was an array of products laid out before her on the vanity, and she was just staring at them like they were foreign objects. They may as well have been. If she wasn't forced through the process by someone else, she never painted herself up. She'd rather skate by bare than with any other color on her face.

"Just silly," she muttered to herself after letting out a small huff of laughter. "Doesn't even matter."

"The garment prices here are ridiculous," I said, walking into the room like I hadn't been watching for the past however long. I shook my head at the receipt I had pulled out and brandished it before looking up at her. She drew her robe tighter round herself the moment I did. I motioned to the scene in front of her, "What are you doing?"

"Nessa gave me some makeup to wear tonight."

"Do you want to wear it?"

She quirked a brow, "Have you ever known me to _want _to wear makeup?"

"Fair point." I smirked. "If Bfee won't be offended by no makeup, then I'd skip it. What message are we spreading if we let the commoners boss us around?"

"She'll serve you cold eggs for talk like that." Elphaba turned her back to me and started going through the selection again.

I dropped my clothes on the bed and went over to the vanity. She let out a yelp when I shoved all the makeup containers onto the floor. It was unfortunate that some of them broke. Oops. My bad. Looks like she won't be wearing those tonight. Such a shame.

"Fiyero!"

I ignored her and set the book on the vanity before her. She shut up instantly, so I took the spot next to her on the bench.

"I'm sorry," I said softly. "I shouldn't have acted so harsh this morning. You didn't do anything to deserve that." She opened the book to the cover page as if she didn't trust the cover to really tell the truth. "And I'm sorry about traumatizing you." Elphaba shifted and, quickly, grabbed my hand to give it a quick squeeze.

Everyone was either looking at Elphaba or talking about her from the moment we walked into the grand rotunda of the municipalities' government building. Despite my objections, she did end up putting a little bit of Nessarose's paint on. Just a bit on the eyes. It took her forever, because we were all well aware that she had no idea what to do with those things without Galinda. Her dress was beautiful ("Galinda said black and gold don't look bad on me," she had said as if trying to justify the dress to her sister), too. She mostly stayed with Bfee and his family, talking animatedly with them. She laughed often and smiled even more. She looked beautiful.

I assumed that's what people were talking about. It wasn't, though. The first time I heard someone make a comment, I was checking our coats. Some girl with a big bow on her butt said something about being disappointed that the years hadn't faded her skin. The next was when I was in one of the bathroom stalls. The voice of an unnamed man said that she looked exquisite. I was in complete agreement until he went on to say that he would bend her over a desk if he wasn't afraid of catching whatever affliction she had. The last time Elphaba was with me when I was getting another glass of champagne. One girl was appalled that Elphaba had shown up tonight. Her date mentioned that she was close with Bfee and his family. The girl brought me up, saying that she couldn't believe that the marriage hadn't resulted in some terrible disaster yet. Her date said it was only a matter of time. And then the girl remarked that she had heard that Elphaba was still a virgin, to which her date was not surprised. _"He probably doesn't want his prick turning green and falling off."_

We stood in silence even after the two had left. There were so many things going through my mind. Of course I knew people talked about Elphaba. Vinkun royal families and courts had been on the receiving end of behind the back talk because of our own peculiarities many times. It was a logical assumption that Elphaba's green skin would cause its own bit of talk. I guess I just hadn't realized what they could actually say or how accustomed she was to it. Because she didn't even really look all that fazed. She just kept glancing over at me to see _my _reaction. I frowned bitterly into the champagne in my glass and then finished it off in one go.

"Do you want to go to the pub?" I asked.

"Yes," Elphaba said before I was even fully finished with the last word.

"I'll see if Boq will see Nessarose home safely if you go get the coats."

In all four years of marriage, I had _never _seen Elphaba drink any drop of any alcohol harder than champagne. Even those she typically cradled all night. But Oz damn, I think I fell a little bit in love with her when we walked into the pub I had been at earlier and she knocked back the first shot of whiskeys I ordered. I felt like applauding her. Normally I had to get a few fruity drinks into a girl before I could even convince her to think about trying the shots. Elphaba said something to the barkeep in their native language, and the small man produced two lagers and a rack of cue balls.

"_Danke,_" Elphaba smiled at the barkeep, and he saluted her in return. "It's one of the lagers Center Munch is famous for," she told me, "two brothers came up with the recipe for the first Thropp to ascend to Eminence. It's the only lager we don't export."

"Are you really going to wear that?" I asked.

She smirked at me, and I couldn't stop myself from smiling like an idiot. "Are you afraid of losing to a girl in a gown?"

She sunk three before I was even able to take a turn. I was going to lose to a girl in a gown. My ancestors were scowling down at me in shame.

"When I was five," I began as I walked around the table, looking for a shot, "some kids from the village tried seeing if my diamonds would come back if they burnt them off." Elphaba lowered her bottle as I sunk a ball.

"Did they do it?"

"They tried," I handed her the stick. "The butcher heard me screaming and came around as they were putting oil on my shoulder. He threatened to chop all their pricks off." I chuckled, but Elphaba was silent. "I had nightmares for about a year after. They had to get a mattress protector made for me, too."

She didn't answer, just gave the cue balls one hell of a time from the force behind her arm. One was sunk and another was at the perfect angle for a second in one turn. When she didn't move to take it right away, I told her that Baako hadn't been so lucky. There was utter horror and disgust in her expression when she looked at me.

I pointed to a spot on my own forearm, "That's why you'll never see him without a long sleeve shirt on."

"He's always the first one to flaunt his diamonds." She waited til the barkeep came by with two large shots of liquid and left again before adding, "It was the first thing he told me about when we met."

"Our father taught us that there's no point in being ashamed of something that's part of who we are. We can't change our biology any more than we can change the weather. We can't get rid of the diamonds, but we don't have to associate with the people who'd like to try."

"Your father is a wonderful person, Fiyero."

I waited for her to take a drink and her turn before answering.

"He's yours, too, you know." She took a swig of her drink, choosing to avoid my eyes. "He's only intimidating when he has the crown on." She let out a short burst of laugh. "If I'm known as half the man, king, and father as he is, I'll have lived a good life."

Elphaba's skirts rustled as she came over and took the stool on the other side of the table. She took a shot glass and clinked the glass with mine when I offered it. I watched her carefully as she tossed it back after a moment of hesitation. I motioned for the barkeep to bring a few more over when he got the chance.

"They used to see if I bled green," she whispered while she looked into her empty glass. "By any means necessary, which wasn't much considering we were all children. It was terrifying, though. I didn't know what to do, so I would hide in the library during recess, and after school I would run home—I'm really good at running." She sighed sharply. "Sometimes a couple kids would catch up, but it never got worse than scratches. Bfee's wife would clean me up before I got home, though." Elphaba nodded at the memories in her head, "She always made sure I was okay and tended to."

"You didn't tell your dad?"

She looked at me as though the answer was obvious. "He would have told me that I probably did something to deserve it. You know that."

"And you know you didn't, right?"

"Our child could end up like me, you know." Elphaba sent me a side glance while I finished off a shot.

"Well, it's a good thing blue and green go together."

The corner of her mouth pulled up into a small something, and she took one of the newly placed shots and held it up. I followed suit.

"To being more than the confines of our oddities."

"To being ourselves," I corrected. She accepted it begrudgingly, repeating after me, and then we both tossed the bright liquid back.

"You're losing, you know." She nodded to the game with a cocky smirk on her face. "To an inebriated girl in a gown."

I did end up losing. I lost so badly. But I couldn't really find it in me to care.

**This fic is going to run until the following summer, so brace yourselves for several chapters of sorting out feelings. **

**Next chapter has some feels in it. You get a little bit of Fiyero's family's history. It's all written, too!**

**Still interested? Still intrigued? Leave it in a review! I also take high fives, European kisses, and shy smiles in review format, too.**


	4. Chapter 4

**You all are the best supporters a gal could ask for. I'm so grateful for all of the good vibes you send.**

**There's some language differences in here. I forgot to mention last chapter, but Munchkinland's native language is German. The Vinkuns speak Navajo (though there's no language used in this chapter). Quadlings speak Latvian. All native language words/phrases are italicized and immediately followed by the English translation (which I was given by Google Translate, so sorry for anything incorrect).**

**Disclaimer: I only wish I owned Wicked.**

We tried to fix the problem of me attacking Elphaba in the middle of the night by using two separate blankets. We tried it for two days, but each night I managed to ditch my blanket and crawl under hers. Then we tried bunching the sheets up between us to use as a sort of barricade. That worked for a night. I stayed on my side, and no part of my anatomy was accosting Elphaba in the morning. The second night, I was straddling the border. The third night Elphaba claimed I had gotten up in the middle of the night to use the chamber pot, and when I came back, I just flopped down onto her side of the bed. Apparently she barely missed being squashed. I had no recollection of this. Either way, by the end of our first week in Munchkinland, it was safe to say that we were both irritable about the sleeping situation.

Boq invited us to lunch and an ice carving competition at the beginning of the second week there. His mother offered to take Nessarose out to go shopping. I was going to make sure my father left that woman something in his will. Nessarose was turning out to be the petulant child I never wanted. Elphaba and I complained to Boq about the sleeping situation, though, and he suggested we try switching the sides of the bed we're sleeping on. He said that maybe I was constantly waking up on Elphaba because I really just wanted her spot. We did try it. We were both relatively content after a long day of no lame sister, so we fell into opposite sides of the bed hopelessly optimistic.

I woke up before Elphaba on that Friday. It was a rare occurrence, but I figured whatever deities were out there were on my side, because it was not the side of the bed that mattered. I woke up spooning her, my front completely glued to her back. I eased myself away and out of bed.

Bfee's wife answered the door when I went pounding on it to talk to our favorite Munchkin. Her cheeks were flushed, but she had a wide smile on her face that I was beginning to associate with her. She was always smiling, always seemed happy for some reason or another.

"Is Boq home?" I asked after she greeted me.

"Sorry, dearie, you just missed him. He just went to fetch the post. If you want to wait, he shouldn't be long." She held the door open a little more.

"You're too kind, Madame." I thanked her as I walked in, shedding my hat and coat.

"Are you well?" She looked at me with a slight frown. "You look ill." I opened my mouth to respond, but she prattled on, "I'll make you some tea, little prince. Take a seat by the fire, will you?"

She was gone in a split second, leaving me standing awkwardly in the middle of her home. I never really knew my own mom, but I imagined this is what having one would be like. I was seven when Baxiana died giving birth to Baako. She was the Arjiki's foreign minister, so even when I was growing up, she was typically off visiting foreign lands to negotiate. I remember that she always used to come home and teach me a new dance from one of the lands. She had said that she didn't always speak the language or have a very good translator, but a warm smile and willing dance partner was a common language in all lands. I could still do every step she ever taught me. My father and I used to teach Baako little steps here and there when he wanted to know what Baxiana was like. The memories were far and few for me and too painful for my father to recount, but Baxiana had been right that you could convey anything over a good dance. Baako wanted to take dance lessons when he turned four, and my father had smiled at him and called for an instructor the next day.

I'd always been told that I looked more like my mother than my father. It was the hardest thing for me to hear those first couple months. I was only seven. I didn't understand much about life and death then, but I understood enough to know that the only time I was ever going to see any part of my mother was if I looked in a mirror. I avoided mirrors for a while. I liked to help my father with Baako, though.

Part of me was jealous of my father and the baby, because they had been the last people to see her. I had told that to one of the members of the royal guard one day when he found me sitting in one of the windows in the West Tower, shooting arrows at the birds flying by. He told me that the feeling would fade, because even though my father and Baako were the last ones to see her, Baako wouldn't have the memories of her that I did. And my father would have even more memories, because she had been the love of his life. He said that my father would be swimming in grief for the rest of his life, because he was going to be raising two little boys who'd be a constant reminder of the wife he lost.

I took to singing Baako to sleep after that, and my father would chime in with new songs when I ran out. Baako, my father, and I had never really been at ends with one another. Sure, we bickered as families do, but I can't think of a single time I truly felt contempt for either of them. I think how our lives played out after losing my mother, the actions we took and strides we made, helped forge the bond we all shared.

Elphaba probably didn't go through that. She had never talked about what happened when she lost her mother. Though, to be fair, I never told her about my experience. I knew that she also lost her mother in Nessarose's birth, but I knew nothing outside of that. For a moment, before Bfee's wife came back into the room with a tray of tea, eggs, and toast, I had a frightening thought that Elphaba may follow both of our mothers to an early grave. It twisted my insides. I couldn't raise a child without her. What if it was a girl? Who was going to teach her about _that stuff_?

"Coin for your thoughts, little prince?" Bfee's wife chirped when she reentered. I looked up at her, still a little unsure of what she had said. "You menfolk have this telltale sign when you're deep in thought," she clarified.

"I was just thinking that you may be the sweetest person I've met here in Munchkinland," I told her with a genuine smile.

"I used to be a childminder back in the day," she told me like she was recounting eons ago. "Once you see all sorts of children, all sorts of attitudes, shapes, sizes, _colors_…you get a good grip on the world outside of gossip."

I nodded. "Elphaba told me you used to take care of her." I didn't elaborate. I didn't need to.

"Someone needed to," was all she said.

"I don't think Miss Nessarose-"

"It's interesting that you still refer to her as Miss Nessarose. Does Elphaba call your brother His Royal Highness Baako?"

I blinked. No, they didn't. "They call each other brother and sister." I never really thought about it before. "I suppose I never really felt like more than a guest in the Thropp's home." I mean, Oz, I was in a room reserved for _Winkies_. I told her that, and she rolled her eyes.

Bfee's wife, whose name I realized I still didn't know, let me eat in silence. They were even better than the eggs that Nessarose's staff served. Well, they may have been the same, but I just decided that I was going to give Bfee's wife higher praise than my sister-in-law.

"I noticed our pretty little emerald is dressing differently." I grunted in acknowledgement.

"For the past couple of weeks," I said around a mouthful of biscuit.

"It's a shame the representation she gets in the media."

Boq walked in before I could even swallow to ask what she was talking about. The traitorous little Munchkin. I sent him a good glare, which he returned with a frown.

"How did you sleep?" Boq asked. "I'm assuming that's why you're here?"

"How do you know the little prince doesn't just enjoy your company, darling?" Bfee's wife said, taking my empty tray.

"Well, he I suppose he is living under Nessa's roof at the moment." Bfee's wife harrumphed. Boq watched her leave the room before speaking again, "Though, I'm more inclined to believe this is about your inability to keep your hands to yourself while sleeping."

"It doesn't matter which side of the bed I'm assigned to." I told him with a long suffering sigh.

"Your life is so rough." I scowled at the sarcasm hanging from his tone.

"Look, Munchkin-"

"It's really derogatory when you say it like that."

"-this has never happened to me before. I'm not exactly sure how to deal with it."

"I don't even know what's wrong with you."

"Me either!" I rubbed my hands roughly over my face a few times. "What's all this nonsense with magazines and Elphaba?"

"Do I look like the type of person who goes around reading magazines?"

"I _know_ how the charmed circle's gossip mill works."

"If it's been talked about, it hasn't been spread around. Galinda, Elphie, and Avaric are probably the only three aware of it."

"Of course Avaric is aware of it," I spat.

Boq stared at me and asked incredulously, "Are you jealous of Avaric?"

"No!" I snapped. "I just think he ought to remember his place."

"Oh my Oz! I can't believe you just said that. His place? I don't even know you anymore." Boq fell into the chair across from me. "Fiyero, Avaric has been serving the Thropps for as long as I've known them. My mother used to watch him and Elphaba when Frexspar was out. They're more siblings than anything." He went on, "Why do you even care? Are you really one to talk of what Elphaba may or may not, most definitely not, be doing when you're not there? How many girls have you been with since you've married?"

"You're starting to sound like Tibbett."

"And you're starting to sound like some spoilt rich boy."

"Oz, Galinda is better ear than any of you." I pinched the bridge of my nose and waved my hand airily, "Maybe those feelings are just kicking in."

Boq stayed silent, and I figured that he was just agreeing with me. I typically had a thing about being right, whether or not idiots admitted it. He stood up, though, and paced back and forth before tossing me my things and unlocking the door.

"Please don't repeat that to anyone." I stared at the Munchkin with my coat and scarf in hand. "Elphaba isn't one of your whores who can handle the fickle attraction you throw at them. Her new style seems to have you confused about real feelings and passing attraction."

"Um," I said, not really sure what to say, as I shrugged into my things.

"And sleep on the floor." I nodded.

"I'll see you around then."

"I'll tell Ma you said thank you."

I kicked the ground continuously on my walk back to the Mansion from the post after leaving Boq's. I caught a patch of ice one time and wiped out, letting out an unmanly shout, but thankfully no one appeared to be around to witness the display. The curtains were open, I noticed, as I drew near. I slowed down, though, not really wanting to go anywhere else but not wanting to go inside just yet either. There was a cleared path from the side of the house to a garden that was dead with the winter. I was about to head into it, but I noticed Nessarose wheel herself past one hedge and behind another. Maybe inside would be better if both sisters were out.

There was a letter from Frex among the other ones I didn't care for—though one was addressed to me from my father. I dropped the rest of them on the first surface I found as I broke the seal on the important letter. It was addressed to _'Nessa and company' _(I rolled my eyes) and said that business had ran smoothly. I skimmed over his short recap of the experience. He finished by saying that he was setting out by carriage and would be home the day before Lurlinemas. I let out a laugh and went to find something to send the news to my father and brother. Good. Elphaba and I could spend Lurlinemas in the Vinkus where we belonged with my family. We could catch a morning train and make it home in the dead of night. We'd be waking up in our own beds on Lurlinemas morning. I stopped, hesitating for a moment before opening my letter as I moved towards the parlor.

My stomach dropped and heart forgot to beat for a second. My family wasn't going to be at Kiamo Ko for the holidays. I looked up at when the letter had been sent. They had set out the morning after last for another territory which had invited them to spend the holidays: _'With you and Elphaba away on your own vacation, I thought it would be nice for Baako and me to get our own time away from the castle. You know how restless we all get during the winter here, even with all the holiday cheer.' _He went on to say that if we didn't hear from each other before term started at Shiz, he wished me the best of luck with my final semester and would plan a visit for the spring holiday. I threw the letter into the fire with as much contempt I could muster for a letter. Wonderful. If my father and Baako weren't there, the royal court and attendants wouldn't be there, so only the sentries and kindred would be there to guard the castle and keep the fires tended. Even the maids would be given vacation til the day before everyone was due to return.

I eased myself onto the sofa in front of the fire (despite the biological padding my butt offered, it was still apparently capable of being sore) and moved into a lounge. I kicked my feet up on the arm of one side and draped my arm over my face, blocking out the light that was pouring in from window. If I closed my eyes and cleared my head, with the crackling of the fire and the sweet scents coming from the kitchen (scents that truly reminded me of old Vinkun delicacies), it was almost like being home. I could pretend that I had broken into the room above the kitchen just to relax from all the documents that needed to be read, lessons to be learned, or talks to be had.

"You're not supposed to have your feet on the couch, you know," I almost groaned at the sound of Nessarose's grating voice. My body had just been drifting off into that phase before sleep, and she ruined it.

I lifted my arm slightly to peer at her. She had a small smile on her face.

"I promise I won't tell."

This is emotional abuse, right? Being nice then mean then nice again? Surely I could wage war on Center Munch for their manipulation of my emotions.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" I asked, reluctantly pushing myself up.

"Elphaba's been gone all morning at the market, and she said you'd probably be in the library. But you weren't in the library."

"I went to go get the post." It wasn't a complete lie. Nessarose nodded as though she knew it was only half of the truth. Women and their intuition. "Your dad wrote," I dug the letter from my pocket and handed it over, "he'll be home in time for Lurelinemas." Nessarose smiled as she read over the letter. "My father wrote, too," her gaze flickered up to me momentarily, "some foreigners invited him and my brother to spend the holidays with them, so it looks like Elphaba and I will need to stay here longer. If that's alright."

"I don't think it'll pose a problem," she muttered, still reading the letter. "Maybe we can convince Daddy to upgrade your room. Elphaba always looks like she isn't getting much sleep." Nessarose's eyes stopped reading the paper, and almost immediately a pink blush took over her face. "I just mean from the bed," she clarified.

I coughed into my fist to hide a smirk that was threatening to come up. I thought about coming up with a snappy comeback, but I kept my mouth shut since she was going to advocate for an upgraded room.

"I've been invited to a ball tonight," Nessarose told me with an air of superiority. I figured I was getting all this because Elphaba was out. Damn her.

"I'm sure you'll be the belle of it."

"The other municipal's mayor was just in the papers for a scandal, so the family is hosting this extravagant affair to sweep the news under the rug. Originally the letter had been addressed to Daddy, but since he's not home, I get to go in his place." Did she want me to give her a standing ovation? "I'd have brought you and Elphaba along, but the invitation is for one. And I do enjoy my independence." She wouldn't know independence if it was served to her on an emerald platter.

"It sounds wonderful, Miss Nessarose." I grinned at her.

"It does, doesn't it?" She let out a dreamy sigh and sat in silence with me.

It was awkward. Well, for me. I didn't know if she wanted me to say something or if she was planning on saying something. Was someone supposed to be talking? What would I even talk to her about? Her headbands? Her dress? I could ask why she was wearing that color yellow in winter.

"Has there been anything about me in the magazines lately?" I decided on. Nessarose raised her brows in a very Elphaba-like fashion. "I don't think Elphaba and I have been in any for a while, and I just like to remind the public we're still here," I lied.

"You mean aside from the one from a couple weeks ago?"

"A couple weeks ago? I could have sworn it was last month."

"No, it was the first issue of the month. Milla and I agreed that it was for the best that you didn't hold a ball for that one."

"It was a unanimous decision," I nodded, hoping she would go on.

"The things they said were just awful, and any more publicity on her would have made things worse. She causes enough of a commotion, so staying low was really the greatest choice you could have made." Nessarose rubbed at a spot on her hand. "Well played, though, by adding a little more lady-like garments to her wardrobe. I do adore the outfits she's been wearing."

"Hm." I muttered because I didn't know what to add.

"Galinda thought Elphaba should just go right to the editor of-" Nessarose cut off when the front door opened.

"Elphaba!" I cried when my green shackle came through. I had been _so _close. Elphaba gave me a concerned look but ultimately chose to ignore it.

"Nessa, you should be getting ready," Elphaba said as she handed her coat and gloves to an aide. She thanked the girl before going on, "The carriage will be here within the hour."

"Fiyero and I were just having some sibling bonding time." Nessarose wheeled herself towards her sister. When Elphaba looked at me, I sneered back. There was no siblings bonding here. There was Fiyero using Nessarose's obliviousness to get her to give up information.

I waited till Nessarose had wheeled herself away before saying anything.

"Since Nessarose will be out, we should go walk around the square. I'm interested to see what they have going on tonight."

Elphaba's face fell. It was a stupid idea. I shouldn't have said anything. She probably wants time to herself to do whatever it is she does when sister and husband aren't around.

"I'd love to, but I'm not really feeling well." I struggled to keep my face still even though that was the worst lie she's ever said.

I nodded, "Oh, well, uh, let me know if you need anything," I said and started to walk towards the staircase.

"Actually," she said before I could reach the third step. I was stupidly hopeful that she would change her mind. "Do you think you could run to the market and get some ginger?" She asked as she dug into her change pouch. I frowned at her top of her head. "If they don't have some, the apothecary should, but the market always has the best ginger. It really eases my ills."

She held out the change for me to take.

"I'll cover it," I told her, coming back down.

The market didn't have ginger. When I asked the vegetable stand where I would find ginger, they stared at me with a blank expression. So I repeated and enunciated, but the old cog just waved me off and moved on to the next customer. The fruit stand shooed me away before I even had the chance to repeat and enunciate. The herb stand woman just shook her head and apologized, saying she had no clue what I was talking about. Leave it to a Thropp to send me on a wild goose chase. How did none of these people know what ginger was? I even tried a little tent from the Emerald City that was selling goods from all around Oz, but all I got was another shake of the head and swoosh of the hand. Why was it only ginger that helped her calm down? There had to be another herb that did the job.

I went back to each of them and asked about chamomile or milk flowers. I'd have rather the dumbfounded looks from ginger than the murderous ones I got for chamomile and milk flowers. I hated Munchkinland.

Though, it didn't seem like fate was entirely against me. A tall Quadling man was in the apothecary, rearranging the merchandise on the shelves. He grinned at me when I entered, and I responded with a nod. A sign on the wall said that all the lethal products were behind the counter and required supervision and permission to access. Another sign said to ask the attendant if help was needed. And stuck to that sign was a note that identified the employee working today, what he/she/they wished to be called, and the languages you could address them in (with the first being the preferred).

There were six recognized languages in Oz (seven if you counted Ugabu, though most do not): Vinkun, Gillikinese, Glikkun, Munch, Quadlish, and general Ozian. By imperial law, citizens of any territory (even Ugabu, by way of an old doctrine) are required to learn their native language and general Ozian. If you're from the Emerald City, though, you have your pick of your secondary language. Obviously as Vinkun royalty, there was a very strong expectation for me to have a grasp on all of the languages, even Ugabu, for future use. I understood Ozian and could speak it well enough, but I never took time to practice it. Attending Shiz and marrying a foreigner were probably the only reasons I retained it. Next to Vinkun, Quadlish was my favorite, though. People hate having to talk to the Quadlings. The accent was so harsh and the language rough. So I mostly chose to attach to it, because the royal court would get into a hissy if I randomly threw in some Quadlish phrases when talking to people who had no idea what I was talking about. I studied it enough that it was easily my second language.

So this tall Quadling man with the dark Quadling skin was a man I would take as a gift from the gods.

"_Vai jums ir ingvers?_ [Do you have ginger?]"

The Quadling man looked up at me, surprised at first then pleased. I assumed many people in Center Munch didn't speak a twig of Quadlish.

"_Nē, mans princis._ [No, my prince.]" He motioned to his neck where the diamonds were showing on my own. "_Mēģiniet tirgū._ [Try the market.]"

I told him I did, and then he told me that the Munchkins here didn't really know how to address uncommon herbs in anything but their native tongue. The look I gave him must have drawn blank, because he chuckled and told me what it was called in Munch.

The Munchkin selling the herbs laughed at me when I came back and asked for ginger again, this time calling it _Ingwer_. The things I put up with for my wife.

Walking back to the Governor's Mansion was miserable. The sun had set halfway there, so the bitter winter air was nipping at every piece of exposed skin. It made me hate everything in Munchkinland that much more. Sure, it was no different than the Vinkus, probably more tolerable. But the Vinkus was gorgeous on winter nights. The moons would be so big, in any of their phases, that you'd swear if you reached far enough, you could touch one. The starts would dot the skies, forming the most beautiful constellations or just making enough light for you to find your way home. The winds would howl, of course, but even then there was still this overwhelming sense of calm in the starlit sky. Ice and snow were everywhere, creating wonderful patterns on windows, in the Grasslands, on stone buildings with ivy shooting up them. No matter how bitter, how cold or windy, there was a beauty in the severity of it all.

"Oz, Elphaba," I called the second I threw open the Thropp's front door, still smelling the familiar aromas. I had no clue if she could hear me, but I really wanted to say it, "it's colder than your dad's heart out there."

I dropped my outside garb into a pile right by the door. I'd grown accustomed to doing that if no staff was here to take it for me. They probably strongly disliked it, but I had yet to be told to stop.

"Elpha-" I started to shout but was cut off as the woman in question cam hurrying down the steps.

I tried to form a thought, but I was too busy trying to figure out how to act at the sight of her a pair of leggings and boots, matched with one of my tunics. Her hair was thrown up in a messy do, and a thin layer of sweat was sticking to her skin. What good was organized language anyway? I stuck to the smart idea and kept my mouth shut, opting to communicate nonverbally that I had no flying clue what was happening anymore. I didn't even know which outfits on Elphaba's new spectrum were the worst. This one was ranked pretty high, though.

"Oh, good," she smiled, and I just stood still as she came towards me. "Did you get them from the market?"

I opened my mouth to speak but nodded instead. She didn't seem to think I was acting any different than normal. Her smile still hadn't faded as she took the ginger from me.

"I'm actually feeling a lot better, but I'm sure it will come in handy for the next time anyone here feels ill."

I pursed my lips. I just went out looking for an herb that could have easily been classified as a ghost; and now she's feeling better? I spent over an hour wandering around like an idiot for nothing. I gave her a tense grin, because I couldn't do anything else.

"I have something for you," she told me after a pause. "It was supposed to be a Lurlinemas gift, but it was delivered early. It'll be no good if it has to sit til the holiday, though."

"You didn't have to-"

"I wanted to," Elphaba said with another smile and nod.

We usually got each other small things like jewelry or ties. Some little accessory that meant nothing but could be seen by everyone. Part of me hoped she was going to drag me into the bedroom and tell me that it was time to start making a baby, but I'd been called brainless and foolish on occasion.

"Come on," she grabbed my hand and then dropped it immediately. I took a breath and picked hers back up. It wasn't like we were going to burn one another. Though, the blush creeping up the back of my neck and the one on her cheeks begged to differ.

I did allow her to lead me. Walked up the steps behind her. Kept my eyes on the next stair. Not the way the tunic clung to her skin because of the sweat. Not the way I could see her muscles move under the leggings. So when I tripped walking up the stairs, it was merely because they were so slippery.

"I was just practicing archery, so I kept it in the weaponry with me." They have a weaponry here? Color me surprised. "I know Munchkinland is really the last place you want to spend any part of the winter holiday, so I just wanted to show my appreciation. I know you don't really understand my relationships with my family, but Nessa and my dad mean the world to me.

Opening the double doors that Elphaba indicated, I didn't really know what I expected to see on the other side. Maybe a dog? Or a monkey? Maybe a new set of arrows specially made for me. There was a list of things I thought it could be, all material, but nothing that I was actually expecting Elphaba to get me. Well, I suppose, I never really expected her to get me anything. I knew she would, like she did every year, but there was never the expectation. So opening the door to see her gift floored me more than sweaty, frock wearing, or dressy Elphaba ever could. It showed yet another side of the woman I had yet to see.

My father and Baako had been examining a spear that was hanging on the wall, and both of them looked over when I opened the door. Baako's face broke out into a wide smile, and my father's laugh lines and crow's feet deepened as they tended to do when he was completely joyful.

"Look at you!" Baako cried, crossing the room and almost strangling me with his arms around my neck.

"Look at your hair!" I laughed, tugging on a lock that had escaped the tie from the nape of his neck.

"We were expecting you a half an hour ago," my father said, clapping a hand on my shoulder with a soft squeeze before pulling me into a hug, too. I hadn't heard his voice since we left for term, and I couldn't believe how much I missed it.

"You wouldn't believe how easy it is to get lost in a market," I lied. I would not admit I had to get help.

"You're right," my father winked at me.

"I had the cook prepare a traditional Arjiki meal," I turned back to Elphaba who was slowly creeping into the room. "The ingredients came from the Vinkus, so nothing is illegitimate," she added and I honestly didn't know the feeling that crashed into me.

"I told you I smelt flatbread!" Baako patted my father's back.

"The table's all set, so everything should be laid out the moment they see you walk in." My father smiled at Elphaba and took her hand to press a kiss to her knuckles. "I'll let you three catch up and join you after I've bathed."

"Oh, come now, Fabala," my father clicked his tongue, "you smell no worse than half the people in my court."

Baako snickered and added, "Most of them, really."

"And we're all family, are we not?"

Elphaba gave him a different kind of smile, "Of course."

"Good," he put his other hand over theirs and gave it a squeeze before dropping it. "Now, let's eat before Fiyero has to ascend the throne due to the King croaking from starvation."

Without thinking about it before or analyzing it after, I turned to Elphaba, cupped her face and pressed a kiss to her forehead before dragging her along to catch up with the rest of our clan.

**Later chapters will show insight into Avaric's history with the Thropps, but right now all you need to know is that he had worked for the Thropps and now works for Elphaba.**

**So what did you think? Interested? Intrigued? Feeling warm and fuzzy? Anxious? **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi! Sorry this took so long! I meant to get it up about twelve days ago, but things got rushed on my end. Enjoy some Elphaba opening up and Fiyeraba:)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

"I had thought about getting her a horse."

Baako grunted as we ran through the only wooded area that Center Munch had to offer. It wasn't very big. It would fit in Kiamo Ko if we laid out all the floors on ground level. It was good enough for a run, though. We took sharp turns and turnabouts, winding our way on new paths, until we thought we had every twist and turn somewhat memorized. Sometimes Baako lead and I followed, but other times he was perfectly content to watch me trip while trying to hurdle over fallen limbs or catch ice and wipe out. Thankfully the Munchkinland vegetation was just as cold and heartless to Baako as it was to me, so for every wipe out I endured, Baako matched.

"She still has Baumer," Baako reminded me as we started slowing down, both beaten and winded.

Baumer was the horse Avaric had purchased for her their first spring at the castle. The horse was a purebred Vinkun Stallion. The Arjiki were known for the fine horses throughout all the kingdoms known to Oz. People travelled to purchase a pair of their own to take home. They all complained when they're horses failed to reach the potential that Arjiki horses always rise to. It doesn't matter how many times we tell people that breeding is only half the battle; they never listen. It's all about a balance between nature and nurture to get the finest horses. Baumer was one of the best. Best of the best, really. Avaric didn't know the difference, and I never told him.

"How was I supposed to follow up?" I hit another patch of ice and tumbled to the ground in a messy heap. Baako, who had leapt to avoid the ice, got his foot caught in one of my limbs—I couldn't even tell which one, I was so sore—and had a much more graceful time going down.

I pulled myself over to my brother and collapsed on my back next to him.

"What was I supposed to get her? She never communicates with me," I said. "We have enough riches to buy her whatever she needs for lifetimes over. She wants for nothing. I just had to make with what I had."

"Everyone wants for something," Baako drew his arms behind his head and smiled up at the grey sky like he just told a joke. "Still, though, you couldn't have thought of something better than an old book?"

There was no great way of following up Elphaba's Lurlinemas gift for me. I'm not the most creative man out there, so I had work with what I had. And that wasn't much. I had no clue how the inner workings of Elphaba's mind turned. Boq just blinked and shut the door in my face when I asked him. Writing Avaric would have been pointless. The letter would have arrived too late and a reply would have taken longer. Besides, asking Avaric was submitting to defeat. Nessarose told me "nothing colorful", so she was useless. So I went to the apothecary to find some ingredients to make an old, beautiful Vinkun perfume. The Quadling who had been working before was there again, and when I told him what I was doing, he suggested I go to this market the next farming town over. Apparently they always had something perfect for someone perfect.

No driver would take me, so I had to bundle up and brave the cold on a Munchkin's horse. An old decrepit woman was manning the market by herself. She could barely hold herself up on the crutch she was using, but she had been determined to stick with me as I browsed the carts and crates. She wanted to know my name, who I was shopping for, and why I was so late to look for a gift. Before, I had picked out a turquoise necklace for Elphaba. It was bought and paid for, but after her gift, it was just going to sit in the bottom of my luggage. I told the old hag a little about Elphaba, some of her favorite things, things that I was told would clash with her skin tone. After she inquired, I told the woman about Elphaba's unique skin tone, and the hag nodded and said she had something that would never clash with a green hue.

She brought me out a book from inside the carriage she was working out of. I had stared at her when she gave it to me. I thought it was some sort of joke. I had barked out a laugh when I flipped the book open. It didn't even make sense. It wasn't in any language I knew or recognized, and even worse, the words _moved _on the page. They swirled and slide against each other in a never ending pattern that I couldn't make out. I gave the book back to her, saying I was just going to get a different book I had been eyeing earlier before the hag really started pestering me. When I left and went to wrap the book I bought, the book the hag recommended had been shoved in the bag with it.

I ended up giving the hag's book to Elphaba and the one on science and technology to Nessarose.

"You should have seen the look on Frex's face when Nessa unwrapped hers." Baako laughed loudly at the memory. "I thought he was going to explode."

I made a noise but kept quiet as I stared up at the top of the trees. Baako remained silent, too, as the wooded area around us made its sounds. Birds that were still here for the winter chirped back and forth. Forest animal cried and moved across the frozen earth, nearly unheard.

"Why don't I love her?" Baako let out an uneasy breath. "Father loves her. The court, though often times annoyed, loves her. You love her, don't you?" I looked over at him. He was still staring up at the sky, but he lost the gleeful look.

"Of course I do," he pushed himself up and stared down at me. "She is my sister, my friend, my princess. I love her as much as a brother can love a sister, a friend a friend, and a countryman his liege."

"She is my wife, the mother of my future children, and my second hand in matters of the state. Shouldn't I love her?"

"I've never seen you try, nor want to." Baako laid back down, resting his head on my stomach like we used to do when we were so much younger. "Maybe you aren't meant to love her on a deeper level."

"I want to, though," I whispered. He turned his head to look at me again. "All the things people say about her. I've never really listened to them before, and now I hear, all I want to do is protect."

"That doesn't mean you love her."

"I want to be the one she comes to when something is bothering her. Me, not Avaric."

"That's called jealousy, my brother."

I pushed him away from me and scrambled to upright myself, yelling at Baako as I did, "If you all keep telling me that the things I'm feeling aren't really the things I'm feeling: how will I ever know what I am feeling? I notice her, and I'm told it is fleeting attraction. I want to keep her safe. And what? It's arbitrary? When I want to be her person, I'm just jealous. Can nothing I feel be genuine?"

"You're never going to know what you feel if you keep asking other people to define it, Fiyero," Baako snapped. "You wrote me a month ago and had nothing to say of Elphaba, so forgive me if I'm reluctant to throw the word about. If you've had some _fairytale _epiphany and have decided that Elphaba is the woman you love, then by all means pursue the dream. Make sure it's real, though, and act seriously." He ran a hand over the white bark on one of the nearby trees. "Our relations with Munchkinland are strained even with the marriage."

"What are you talking about?"

He sighed and glanced about nervously, "Gossip spreads, brother. People know what she's called. People _know_ your marriage is not what you present it to be. People see someone suspiciously like you sneaking out of rooms and homes in the middle of the night. For lack of resources and education, the people of Oz are not stupid. Munchkins aren't happy with the arrangement and are questioning the legitimacy of the marriage to begin with."

"What do you suggest I do?"

"I'm not the future poster child of the Vinkus," Baako bit, but reeled in his temper and added quietly, "I overheard a closed court the other week, saying that the Governor is just waiting for a chance to sever ties. If Elphaba's embarrassed, her dignity or honor tarnished, it would be the card the Governor was waiting to be played."

Like Baako, I threw around my glances in every direction before speaking, "I told you what we did that night," I muttered. "No one would ever-"

"I know, I know," he put his hand on my shoulder to stop me. "I'm just saying tread carefully. Take time to think about what you're saying, doing, _feeling_. If you still feel the same way in a month, then I'll fully support you. If you don't," he grinned when I rolled my eyes, "then I'll be there to help clean up the mess you'll surely have made."

"You're a real treat, Baako." He laughed as I threw an arm over his shoulders and steered him out of the thicket into a wintered meadow that fed into the back of the stables near the Governor's Mansion.

Elphaba was already lounging in bed when I managed to drag myself all the way up the stairs and down the corridor that lead to our room. A room, which I might add, that had not been upgraded to a larger one. Either way, after washing up, I threw myself onto my side of the bed, facedown. Mostly so I didn't have to think about how Elphaba looked with her glasses on and a thumb between her teeth as she tried to read from the book I got her. Every part of my body was on fire, and now that my mind was grasping for her image, it felt like my entire being was betraying me. I just groaned into the mattress. A couple times.

"There's probably a direct correlation between the number of injuries a man sustains and fertility," Elphaba said after she flipped a page.

"Don't joke about that, woman."

"I don't find science very funny."

With great difficulty, great difficulty, I pushed myself over and up to match Elphaba's stance of leaning against the headboard. I noticed that several of the pages had become dog-eared, and those were the ones she seemed to be flipping to. I stared at her for a little while before she glanced over and warily caught my gaze.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?"

Elphaba rolled her eyes and went back to her book, "Fiyero, you know what I'm doing tomorrow night."

I snatched her book away, shut it and tucked it under my arm. The glare I received because of it was precious. Those looks stopped working on me a long time ago. I'd built up an immunity.

"Skip it."

"I cannot skip it."

"Your sister is an adult now. She does not need you to help her pack. So skip it and come out with me." Elphaba played with a stick on the blanket as she thought about it. "I don't want to go back to only talking when something big is happening or if we happen to run into each other on campus. So let's try something new."

"Hanging out?" She looked at me skeptically.

"Why not?"

"You won't think the same thing once we're back at Shiz and your pretty girls are there." She said it with a coldness in tone.

"If you don't want to, all you have to-"

"No," she interrupted me quickly, "I do. I mean, I'd like that."

"So you'll come out with me tomorrow?"

She licked her lips and tucked her hair behind her ear, "I'll tell Nessa that we wanted to spend our last night in Center Munch together."

"Good," I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at the wall opposite us. I had found this neighborhood that I really wanted to explore with someone. "It's a date," I added as an afterthought.

The neighborhood was bordered by a small pond that was frozen over for the winter. Some of the residents had commandeered it to use as a skating pond. The pastures around the pond had a couple stands set up. Nothing as grand as the main market, but just little tents to serve something warm for the skaters. I imagined they didn't make much money, because I hardly saw more than fifteen Munchkins at a time on the pond. I wondered if Elphaba knew how to skate. Either way, I figured she would like it. She like the back road, hole in the wall type joints. She would appreciate the remote beauty of the small neighborhood festivities.

"A date," I heard her say distantly.

"We'll leave right before dinnertime," I said and added, "wear something comfortable." I handed Elphaba back her book and placed a quick peck on her cheek before leaving her to continue with her book without my distraction.

We said goodbye to my father and Baako in the morning. I tried very hard to stay light and happy, but I mostly sulked in the Thropp's weapons' room. I was close to my father and brother, and saying goodbye to them never really did get easy. Even if it was just for a few months. Day, weeks, months, and years sort of seemed to blend together when you missed someone you love. There's no concept of time when all you yearn to do is see someone one more time, one more minute. So I sulked, because instead of enjoying a pint with my father or run with my brother, I was stuck in Munchkinland with my in-laws and their flawed sense of everything.

One of the staff members had slipped into the room at one point when I was lazily throwing daggers at a dummy's genital region (I may or may not have been pretending it was Avaric). He looked at me like I was some pitiful creature, and I had half a mind to let my next dagger find _his _genital region. The staff member held up a covered tray with one hand, though, and told me in his native tongue that my wife said I need to eat something if I expect to be human during our date. He set the tray on the first surface and repeated that I needed to eat for the date. After my talk with Baako, I couldn't help but notice the emphasis the staff member seemed to place on 'date'. As if Elphaba and I hanging out was some significant event. I ate, though. Stabbing the last dagger into the dummy's stomach as I passed it, I lifted the tray to find an assortment of breads. I smirked at the implication numerous carbs had, but then I remembered that this was Elphaba we were talking about. Unless she suddenly had urges, there would be no need to intake carbs for my stamina. We were just hanging out.

When I left the weapons' room to bathe beforehand, I ran into Elphaba coming out of the washroom as I was going in. Her wet hair was thrown over one shoulder, and water droplets were sticking to her flushed green skin in the most delicious way. We blinked at each other for a moment, and then I disappeared into the washroom for a good long while.

Elphaba was fully clothed when she came out to the stables to meet me some time later. She had thick leggings and boots on underneath one of her frocks and a winter coat. Her glasses were on and hair in a braid. I grinned at her as I threw a blanket over the back of one of the horses that didn't buck when I got near it. Munchkin horses never seemed to really like me. She returned the grin and pet the horse when she stopped next to me.

"My mother's horse birthed this one," she told me as she combed her fingers through the horse's mane. "My father said it was always meant for Nessa. He was sure with enough prayer she'd walk someday."

"And now?"

"And now he pretends like it doesn't matter."

"He seems to do that a lot when something doesn't fit his plan," I muttered, putting a simple saddle on the horse.

"Yeah, I suppose he does," Elphaba patted the horse lightly before going over to the one that I had already saddled up for her.

The ride there was uneventful. Elphaba followed behind me at an easy trot. Several people who were in Munchkinland on vacation waved at us as we rode past, shouting nonsense to get out attention. As if a smile or wave from royalty was their mission in life. Of course, we gave them what they wanted, because we were public officials and the public is priority. We took the horses to a stable a couple blocks away from the neighborhood and paid the worker handsomely to care for them. Elphaba stiffened slightly when I laced our fingers, but she eventually relaxed and seemed to walk a bit closer to me than before.

Elphaba startled me when she let out a bark of laughter as we got into the heart of the neighborhood where everything was happening. I glanced about to see if I missed something, but I didn't notice anything. There were just people milling about like us. What I did notice, though, was how she had started leading me around. She was hijacking this from me.

"_Guten Abend _[good evening]_,_" Elphaba greeted a vendor.

"_Fräulein,_" the man replied with a nod. "_Wie ist deine Familie _[how is your family]?"

"_Sehr gut," _Elphaba smiled graciously. I had no idea what was going on until Elphaba switched back to a language I recognized, "Can we have two eggnogs, _bitte_?"

"_Kein Muskatnuss _[no nutmeg]?"

"None on both," she answered, and I assumed she was talking about nutmeg. I was allergic, and Elphaba hated the taste.

The vendor and Elphaba carried on a conversation in their native tongue as the man worked on making our drinks fresh. I caught words that I knew, mostly names. Frexspar was talked about, and Baako was mentioned. Munchkin was close enough to the Ozian that I picked up on some words that could have translated well, but most of the time I was lost and just watched the man work. I was fluent in Ozian, but Vinkun was still my first language. It wasn't so easy to pick up Munchkin when my brain was hardwired for Vinkun, and they were speaking their tongue in rapid fire succession. _Finally_, after what seemed like ages, the worker set our drinks next to his cashbox. I handed him a handful of change, grabbed our drinks, and dragged Elphaba away.

Elphaba laughed again when we were down a side street that had material vendors selling leftover festive items from the holidays.

"My father wasn't much of anything until he met my mother," she said. Our shoulders bumped as we walked slowly past the stalls. I didn't know if it was accidental or if one of us just happened to step too close. "His father was a Unionist minister, and the family had always assumed that my father would follow in his footsteps." Elphaba stopped at a stall and looked at all the wreaths that were hanging for display. "Then my mother breezed through town. She grew up in Colwen Grounds with His Eminence, but she was here for a bit of a rebel adventure. Everyone you ask will tell you it was love at first sight when they met." She caught my eye and smirked, "But if you ask me it was youth revolt and upward social mobility."

"Your dad lived in his neighborhood?" I picked up on it at the beginning of her speech.

"The vendor was his childhood friend."

"And now he pretends like he doesn't matter?"

Elphaba's eyebrows jumped, and she motioned for me to follow her.

"I have this one memory from when I was really young," she started, guiding me down a couple back roads and turns. "Before they found out my mother was pregnant, and before my father was anything other than the man she married," Elphaba ducked under a fence that was missing most of the bottom half.

There was a courtyard that lead to another small road. We took that and turned left at the fork in the road. Elphaba slowed down at the second house on the road. I looked around as she went up to the gate and let herself in. It didn't look like anyone had lived there in years. I watched Elphaba as she moved through the yard, kicking up snow until she stopped at the side of the house. When I got closer, I realized she was uncovering a small makeshift fire pit. It was right outside a window that overlooked the side of the lawn. I tried peering inside, but all I could see was frost and darkness.

"My father used to take these trips: my mother's side of the family prepping him for a life as a Governor's husband." Elphaba fixed her coat so that it covered her butt before sitting down in the light layer of snow. I cleared my own spot and sat with her as she went on, "One time I remember him coming home, picking me up and setting me on his lap, and telling me how much he had missed me." She smiled distantly at the memory.

I stared at her. Taking in the faraway look her eyes had, the lazy smile, but the strained disposition the rest of her had. It's the horrible picture of when the present is so terribly different from the past. It almost made me question whether the memory was a dream.

"Then they found out my mother was pregnant, and everything changed." She waved a hand to motion behind her, "This was where we lived."

I jerked around and got another look at the small cottage. This was Elphaba's childhood? Part of it, at least. I got to my feet, leaving Elphaba where she was sitting in silence, and prepared myself to beat the door down. It came open without much of a jiggle to the doorknob, though.

It was just a shell of what it may have been once. The area by the window that overlooked the pit I had just been at was the kitchen area. The sink was rusted under the layer of frozen dust that had settled over most surfaces in the cottage. There was a cutting board right next to it with a knife frozen to it. The board was well worn with a line running through the center, threatening to crack in two if it had continued to be used. I glanced out the window to find Elphaba watching me. I held her gaze for a moment before moving on to the area of the room that served as a dining room. The only thing that gave it away was the table. There were no chairs. Just the table with a shattered plate underneath it.

The cottage had only a second room, which served as the bedroom. There was a single mattress in the middle of the room, a vanity shoved in one corner, and a desk right beneath the window that overlooked the front yard. There were no personal items. Just the three pieces of furniture. I shuffled my feet around, looking for a loose floorboard, but nothing came up.

What did catch my eye, though, was a round piece of glass tied up to the pole that once held a curtain. It dangled at the middle of the window like a light catcher. I reach up and untied the knot that was holding it there. It was just a plain, round piece of green glass. I was turning it over in my hand when a floorboard creaked behind me. Elphaba was leaning against the doorframe with her cup of eggnog in hand, eyes watching me intently.

"A friend of my parents' made it for me," I handed the glass to Elphaba after she said it. "Turtle Heart," she recalled with another smile. I took her cup, so she could examine the glass.

"I want to know you, Elphaba," I told her as she seemed to get lost looking in the glass. She looked up at me as if she hadn't heard anything I said, so I repeated myself. When she didn't say anything, I set the cups down on the ground and went on, "I want to know what you like, what you don't like. I want to make you laugh when you cry. I want-"

"I want dinner," she said, cutting me off. She tucked the piece of glass into a pocket on the inside of her coat as she started listing off places to eat near here. I stared at her. "Of course, all the restaurants are small little joints, family owned. If you'd rather go somewhere bigger and fancier, we'll have to go and change, because societal dress codes still apply here in Munchkinland, regardless of what you may think." I steeled myself while she admonished my low opinion of Munchkin society.

She didn't shut up until I crowded her personal space, pressing against the frame she had been leaning on and kissing her. I hadn't really planned it out. I was just hoping to go with the flow. I did have that fear that she would freeze up, though, and push me away. But to my surprise, aside from the little noise of surprise she made, she responded in kind. I traced the outline of her sharp bone structure, feeling the soft skin and contrast beneath my fingers. Elphaba, though, clutched at the front of my coat as if I would be somewhere else at the drop of a coin. Her lips were soft and skin warm. I wasn't going anywhere.

I kept my hands on her face when she pulled back minutely, just enough for each of us to be able to breath in air that the other wasn't exhaling. I wanted to keep going. I wanted to keep kissing her until both of us forgot how to do anything else but. And I really wanted to make use of the bed that was not even five feet from us. I refrained, though. Despite all my faults and vices, I liked to think I was well aware that could just be a cogged drain speaking.

"I'm not your whore," Elphaba's breath ghosted over my lips as she spoke, and it sent chills to every part of my body.

"You're my Queen," I agreed, moving my hands from her face to the crook of her neck and then back up, tilting her head slightly to kiss her again.

She pulled away after my lips barely brushed hers.

"And a hungry one at that. You must be starving. You've barely eaten all day," she said, squirming away from me and heading towards the door. I noticed her bring her left hand up to her face, and I grinned at the assumption she was pressing fingers to her lips.

We hadn't kissed since our wedding ceremony. So I stole several more kisses before leaving the property. I took her hand again, and she didn't try to take it back. I caught her glancing over at me, sometimes looking pleased and other times contemplative. Her fingers were still laced through mine, so I figured that was a good of sign as any.

When we were woken up the next morning by a staff member telling us our carriage would be leaving in an hour, I was once again clinging to her. I didn't make an effort to move, though, and she didn't seem to mind. We sat on the same side in the carriage, letting our knees bump and failing to adjust our positions if a bump in the road pushed us closer together. I didn't want to jinx it, and I didn't want to sound cliché, but I had to admit that I thought we were seeing the start of a new beginning.

**Obviously things don't really work out that way. I don't know about you, but I'm really excited for Avaric to reenter. So next chapter you'll get some jealous Fiyero, protective Galinda and Avaric, and Boq just being 100% done with everyone.**

**So...still interested? Intrigued? **


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, you wonderful people! I've got some book characters in here, but if you haven't read the books, you won't need the inside knowledge to understand them.**

**There are two different languages in the last half of this chapter. The one Fiyero speaks is Navajo, and the other is Mohawk. I am not a native speak of either language, so all my knowledge (or lack thereof) comes from dictionaries I found on the internet. And we all know how reliable the internet is.**

**I believe that is all you need to know to read! **

**(There's some language in this chapter.)**

**Disclaimer: I don't even think I own the shirt on my back. It's probably a friend's.**

We fell into a pattern the first two weeks, and no one really seemed to pick up on anything until the third week of the New Year. It went as such:

On nights that Elphaba had a shift at the library, I would spend my days there. The first two times, I just happened to be there for homework with Crope and Tibbett. I stayed and continued working even after they left around dinnertime. Boq never really paid me any mind, since I was constantly going through one book or another. By the time I was finishing up with all my work, Elphaba just happened to be halfway through her own shift. So I stuck around and helped when needed, or steered her into some darkened aisle to make out against the paleontology books. The walk to my apartment was shorter than to her dorm, and in the bitter Shiz winter it was just more logical for her to come back to my place. After the first two times, it just became habit. There were two of her uniforms in my closet. One nightstand had been cleared for her, though she refused to use it (and we didn't talk about how she kept a few pair of panties in there, because she didn't want her own drawer in my room). She didn't have a toothbrush here, but she carried one in her satchel. Just in case.

On days that she didn't work, we saw each other if the charmed circle got together. They liked doing that to keep from going insane with it being the last semester for some of us. There was a pub that Elphaba found in her first week, and Boq and Avaric had followed her. Galinda had stumbled into them after a sour date. Crope came because of Boq, and Tibbett came because of Crope. No one had mentioned it to me. Not even Crope and Tibbett, the bastards. I was drunk one time a couple months ago, though, and had stumbled into the joint after being rejected by a pretty girl who believed in monogamy. The charmed circle had been laughing about something and promptly stopped when I fell in. I think the accepted me in out of pity. Anyway, now on the days we met up, everyone would get so engrossed in a problem someone else was having that no one noticed if my hand brushed against Elphaba in some way as I rested my arm on the back of the bench. No one noticed if her hands hesitantly rested on my knee. And no one noticed if we linked fingers under the table.

There were times we didn't see each other, of course. She was nose deep in academic work, volunteer work, manual labor, and princess prep. Sometimes I was the last person she wanted to see, so I quickly grasped the concept of space. But I always left a key under the mat and my door unlocked in case Crage Hall was just too far away and Elphaba just too tired. Most times she stuck with sleeping in her room. She mentioned in passing that Galinda had started to worry that she was sleeping at the library, so she tried being back at Crage some nights in the week to appease the blonde. She said she told Galinda that the blonde was asleep when she came in and left the next morning. It seemed to hoodwink Galinda well enough.

"Do you think Elphaba is pretty?" I had asked Avaric one night as he, Boq, and I were sitting around our apartment studying and eating. Elphaba was doing something with Nessa, and Crope and Tibbett were at rehearsal for something.

"Dear Oz," Boq let out a huff of breath and stuffed some food in his mouth.

Avaric stared at me and then asked Boq, "Is this really happening?"

Boq motioned with his hand.

"It's just a question," I defended. "You can say yes or no, and it won't matter to me."

"So why are we having this conversation?"

"Why are you being so defensive?"

"Is he being serious right now?" Avaric snatched Boq's book away from him, and the Munchkin threw his arms up. "I'm not having this conversation with you, Fiyero."

"So no?"

"I feel like I'm having a conversation with Galinda."

"It's a shame," I said as I flipped a page in my book, "that you don't value Elphaba's beauty more. Perhaps you're the reason she has such low self-esteem."

Avaric gave me a good, long glare before storming out of the apartment, slamming the door on his way out.

"Brilliant, Fiyero, just stellar," Boq sighed.

Avaric and I didn't talk for a couple days after that. Then someone mentioned the coldness between us, and we went on acting like they were just seeing things. We went out for a couple pints and pretended like my questions didn't happen. Boq told Crope and Tibbett what happened, and I had expected them to corner me about my off behavior. Neither of them mentioned Avaric or Elphaba in context to me, though. I figured Elphaba and I were just becoming pros at sneaking around, and that my general dislike for Avaric from the beginning was to blame for not being confronted about that.

"What are you up to?" Tibbett asked me one afternoon when I accompanied him in town to go shopping, though.

I had a bag of ribbons hanging from one arm and a vine of ivy wrapped loosely around my neck. We were in some other flower shop, because Tibbett had needed some type of flower for some party he was throwing.

"What are you talking about?" I mumbled, sniffing some pretty blue flowers I thought Elphaba may like.

"You and Elphaba," Tibbett barely elaborated as he put another flower back.

"I hardly see her. Only when we meet at the pub or if she needs help with a politics paper."

Tibbett stared at me for a moment, like he was sizing me up against my answer. I frowned at him, because it seemed the most natural thing to do if you were getting unwanted attention. Then I tried thinking of all my telltale signs of lying, and prayed to all the gods of my people that I was not doing any of them. Because if I was, Tibbett would know. Tibbett knew things. It's why I wasn't really surprised he was the first one to notice something. He was a quiet person. He liked to see what was going on and commit it to memory. He liked to be aware of his surroundings, so he often picked up on things that most people didn't see.

"He wouldn't say anything unless he was absolutely certain," Elphaba said the next night when I told her what happened. She was supposed to work, but her boss said he was going to take the shift. So she didn't tell Galinda and met me here when Avaric left to meet some friends at the bar down the block.

I hummed as I ran my hand over the exposed plane of skin where her sweater had ridden up from earlier. I let my fingers graze over the warm skin on her hip but didn't roam much further than that. I didn't know where her boundaries were, so I'd wait until she set them.

We'd be fine. Tibbett was probably the only one to notice anything anyway.

Galinda surprised me, though, when she plopped down next to me in a lecture on Ancient Vinkun culture. At first I took no notice when the door opened ten minutes after the course began, but the stench of the blonde's perfume caught my attention. I scowled down at my notes and then looked up to see Galinda with a paper in front of her, pretending to write down what the professor was saying. I honestly didn't know how to respond.

"You know what's great about being rich?" She asked quietly.

I braced myself. Only the gods knew where this was going.

"The money?" I guessed.

"The money," Galinda agreed. "Money can buy so much. For example, I used my money to buy someone to clean mine and Elphie's room. I hate cleaning, and she's always gone, so someone needs to take care of the room."

I nodded as I wrote down a comment that I knew the old cog would put on the exam. I was in the middle of a word when Galinda dropped something on top of my hand, paper, and quill. It was an outfit of mine. Galinda had gone out of town with Milla the other weekend, and I left an outfit there for other times. Elphaba stuffed it in a corner under her bed.

"Fiyero, darling," Galinda said after a couple minutes in her bittersweet tone usually used on Avaric. "If you hurt her, I will use my money to make sure you feel the pain you inflict. I will use my money to make sure you are in so much pain that you can't even scream as you die. And then whatever I have left will go to making sure no one will ever find you."

"Uhm," I didn't—I couldn't—I just. What?

"Have a good class, sweetie," she placed a quick peck on my cheek and left.

Elphaba and I had been in bed when I brought up the fact that Galinda knew something was going on. I was half draped over her, and she was running her fingers through my hair in a way that was lulling me to sleep. I didn't tell her everything that Galinda said, just that she knew. The skin of Elphaba's chest rose where my breath ghosted across it. I kissed a patch of it when I finished the sentence.

"Tibbett came to see me today when I was studying. He brought two plants with him. One you can crush and put in tea to add flavor. The other one, if crushed, is odorless and colorless and excellent at leaving no traces behind when you poison someone."

I looked up at her. I was slightly touched that Tibbett was worried about me getting hurt. Though, I don't know which of the two was more terrifying: Tibbett or Galinda.

"I don't understand how someone so whimsical and poetic can be completely horrifying," Elphaba said.

I shook my head and pushed myself up to her level, letting my hands move up the length of her body as I did. I found it deliciously exciting the way her body responded to my touch. The way flesh raised or heated. The way she squirmed with anticipation if I pressed against her in a certain manner. The way it seemed like she tried to mold herself to me when I positioned my hands precisely. It was electrifying, and I couldn't get enough of it. I kissed her simply at first, soft kisses on soft lips. Elphaba took charge, though (something I was finding out that I greatly enjoyed), and deepened the kiss. It was all kinds of fantastic until she ruined it.

"Let's just hope Avaric doesn't suspect anything," she breathed as we split, for what I wasn't intending to be long, to get a breath of air.

Before she could resume the kiss, I pulled back. Why does it matter if Avaric finds out?

"I have to go to the bathroom," I muttered, rolling away and getting up to go into the kitchen.

Elphaba followed me out of a room a couple moments later as I was pouring myself a glass of some fruity alcohol that Tibbett left over the other day. She sat on the bar stool and watched me as I recapped the drink and put it somewhere close on the counter. Watched me as I took a sip from the glass and then down the entire thing. Watched me as I refilled it. I took another shot of whatever it was.

"Why does it matter if Avaric knows?" I snapped before thinking about refilling another glass. Elphaba didn't say anything. "_Why _does it matter if _Avaric _knows?"

"So it's true then?"

I paused with the refilled glass halfway to my mouth. "What?"

"You're jealous of Avaric."

I scoffed, "I am not jealous of some princess's servant boy."

"My servant boy, my confidant, my best friend."

"You're my wife," I said, downing the drink again. "I'm not jealous of some _servant _when you're mine by law."

Yes. I _know. _I know I shouldn't have said it. It just came out, and the second it came out, I knew I shouldn't have said it. Elphaba didn't move, though, which was even scarier. I set the glass down blindly, trying to keep my eyes on her. If she was going to throw something at me, I'd like to be able to see it coming. I flinched when she stood up.

"Am I free to go, my Prince?"

"Elphaba, I didn't mean it like that."

"I have papers to write and relations to study, your Highness."

"Elphaba-"

"Forgive me for interrupting, sire, but I really must be going. May I take leave?"

I didn't say anything. I refused to let her win this. Although, she may have already won from the moment I said the thing that started it. Avaric, with his impeccable timing, waltzed in a few moments after the standstill began.

"Elphaba!" I bristled when Avaric pressed a kiss to her temple. "To what do we owe the pleasure? I'd have told Fiyero to straighten up if I knew you were coming." He glanced at the bottle of alcohol and shot glass and added, "And possible sober up himself." Avaric snickered as he nudged Elphaba and then went back to looking at a piece of paper that had been in his hands.

Elphaba held my gaze as she said, "Fiyero and I've been seeing each other, Avaric." My eyes snapped to Avaric, and I noticed that his eyes were no longer following anything on the page. "I thought you deserved to hear it from me first."

"In the middle of a lovers' quarrel?" Avaric raised his brows at the page.

"We're not having a lovers' quarrel," Elphaba countered.

"You'd have to be lovers to do that."

Elphaba shot me a glare before turning back to Avaric.

"I'd really like to not know if you're hanky panky-ing." Avaric was still staring at the paper in his hands, but Elphaba snatched it away from him, looking at him expectantly. He laughed at her, "What do you want me to say, Fabala? You were bound to fall in together or kill each other. You're an adult. You can make decisions without my opinions."

"But it matters."

I let out an ungodly noise, "_Why_? Why does his opinion matter? You can spell 'us' without 'him', Elph-"

"If you keep talking, there won't be an 'us'."

Needless to say, I shut up.

"It is fine, Elphie," Avaric took his paper back. "I told you before I understood how you felt about him-"

"Hm?" I asked but was ignored.

"-so there's nothing to worry about. You could have come waltzing out of his room in nothing but a slip, and I probably wouldn't have been surprised."

They bid each other farewell, and then Elphaba was out the door in a flash. I watched Avaric as he walked over to the counter next to me to pour himself a glass of what I was having. What did that even mean? How she felt about me. Avaric paid my staring no mind, though. He just filled himself up a glass, grabbed a box from the cabinet, and plopped down in his usual chair with those and a book. I could have been in my bed with Elphaba if it hadn't been for him. Just the mention of his name. And all for what? Nothing. He doesn't even care. She was so worried about what her precious Avaric would think, and he thinks squat. He was _expecting _it.

I grabbed the things I needed to go out. I needed several free drinks from several pretty girls down at the OzDust.

"Fiyero," Avaric said as I opened the door an hour later. I glanced back at him, but his nose was in his book, "I know you're not doing the hanky panky with Elphaba; but if I find out you're doing the hanky panky with other girls, I'll cut your pretty little cock off and shove it down your throat."

"I could have you arrested for saying that."

"Mind the steps outside," he went on, "they're slippery bastards today."

I passed the OzDust three times without going in. I could sit all day and, until I was blue in the face, tell Avaric that I was serious about Elphaba and wouldn't screw around with other pretty things. The fact of the matter, and he would surely point it out, was that I was still sitting outside the OzDust. No one goes to the OzDust and goes home alone. You go for the dancing, stay for the drinks, and leave when your pants are too tight to do either of the previous things. I'd been at Shiz for two academic periods. I _knew _how the OzDust worked, and so did Avaric. So, theoretically speaking, if I went into that establishment, there was a very good chance someone would be in my bed or I'd be warming theirs.

And I didn't really mean what I said to Elphaba about her being mine by law. Aside from it being completely true, I didn't mean it in the way it sounded. I just meant that I wasn't jealous of Avaric, because Elphaba and I were legally bond. Probably the same reason she was never jealous of all the girls I bedded. It didn't matter who they were or what they looked like, because at the end of the day, the wedding band around my finger tied me to Elphaba. Of course, rewording it doesn't make it sound any better than it did when I first said it. Words were hard, and meanings tended to come out askew.

"Mine by law," I scoffed, pushing myself up off the cold bench and looking in either direction.

I glared at the OzDust's bright and flashing lights I was sulked past it. Why was Avaric even still around? What purpose did he even have anymore? Wasn't he a eunuch or something? I frowned as I thought about all the nights I heard the headboard hitting the wall. No, maybe not a eunuch. But still. Why was he so important? He was just some servant boy. We could replace him with the snap of two fingers. Servant boys were a dime a dozen. Didn't he have a family he missed? I paused in front of a bar on some side street. He had to have family. You don't just appear out of thin air. I glanced up at the bar sign and blindly followed the trail of heat I felt coming from the door. Surely there was enough funds in my bank to fund a little family reunion.

"Hello!" I girl chirped from behind the bar. Her accent caught my attention and pulled me out of my musings. "Welcome to Six Sisters." She had a deep dimple when she smiled.

"_Ya'at'eeh _[hello]?"

Her smiled widened but her head shook, "_Khwe _[hi]."

"Scrow?" I guessed as I took a seat at the bar.

"Scrow," she confirmed with firm nod. "We, my sisters and I, don't get many Vinkuns in here."

"If I ever see them on campus, I'll send them to you," I grunted. "Can I have your strongest?" She squatted to get something from under the counter. "You can just open a tab," I added as she pulled a glass and put the bottle next to me.

"I was always told royals drank like _kenston _[fish]."

"No, married men do."

"I'm Sarima."

She looked conflicted over how she was supposed to greet me after giving her name, so I told her that she didn't need to curtsey or anything. It hardly seemed appropriate when I was going to clean half her liquor. She shook her head, put a bowl of dry finger food in front of me, and went to the other end of the bar to converse with the only other patron in the place. There were two other girls milling about the place, casting me glances every time they got the chance. A guy around my age was sitting on one of the corner tables when he wasn't coming in and out of the back with various stock items. I figured all three of them worked here with Sarima.

When the other patron left, Sarima proved to be excellent company. Though, that very well could have been the alcohol talking. She had to repeat herself a couple times, because my mind was having trouble keeping up the speed of the words coming from her mouth. I did learn that she and her sisters (so named Two, Three, Four, Five, and Six) owned the bar. They traveled with the Scrow clan up until about eighteen years ago when their parents died as the Scrow were moving camps. In order to keep stability without parents present, the Scrow often sold the eldest orphan off to someone who could sustain them and any siblings. Sarima said that she was so scared of the prospect of having to suffer through a loveless marriage that she took her sisters and fled with the help of one of their braves. She had only been six at the time. The girls had lived in an orphanage until Six turned of age and then they found the previous owner of the bar in need of help running it.

"We worked our fingers to the bone for him," Five had said when she and the other sister came over as Sarima was recounting it and after we'd been introduced.

"Never got a thanks or smile out of him," Three added, filling up my empty glass.

"And then one day, the flu took him."

"And we were called down to the City Hall."

"And he left the entire bar to us." Five smiled (I noticed all three sisters had the same smile) and breezed back to the other side of the room.

"Sometimes I wonder who Sarima would have wed if we hadn't fled," Three said, watching Sarima wash dishes. Sarima shook her head to show she heard. "But then she wouldn't have met dear Cherry over there." She nodded to the man who just disappeared into the back.

"His story?" I asked, because I didn't think I could form a full sentence.

"Roumin Cherrystone. Studying military strategy at Shiz," Three shrugged. "Got drunk and stumbled in here one night. Absolutely dotes on Sarima, but the only attention she gives him is professional. Even though he is a wonderful match." She said the last part bitter enough for Sarima to throw a glare at her.

"So archaic," I said and both sisters looked at me. "The practice," I tried elaborating my waving my hand, but it wasn't understood. They stared blankly at me, so I counted my numbers up til six in Vinkun.

"Sort of exciting, though," Three smiled brightly as she jumped up on the counter next to me. "Sure, Sarima is the only one to be named by our parents, but when it's my turn, I get to pick my name with my husband. I know it may seem silly to you Arjiki, but there's something beautiful about a couple picking the names they'll call each other for the rest of their lives. I may be Three know, but one day I'm going to have a name especially tailored to me and my love."

I blinked at Three. She looked so much like she believed entirely in those words. The whole thing started because some spoilt princess didn't want her younger sister—who had suitors lined around the mountains—to get married before she did. It was such an archaic practice that even the Scrow themselves hardly followed it. I grinned at Three and patted her knee gently, wishing her the best of luck and telling her that any men to win the sisters' favors were sure to be genuine. Then I downed two glasses without blinking, or thinking, really.

"And what about you, _asizinee _[chief]?" Sarima asked in my vernacular.

I folded my arms on the counter and then put my head on them, "I have this feeling in my stomach."

"Go get a bucket," Sarima demanded of her sister.

"Not that kind," I assured her, but when I lifted my head, it could have been that I was feeling.

Five came back, instead of Three, with a bucket in her hands, and the second she put it in front of me, I spilled what I could into it. Sarima said something in the Scrow's vernacular to someone and then that was that. There was only one officially recognized language in the Vinkus, but we all had our own regional twist to the language. I understood all of them well enough, but most of the time I sounded like a complete idiot when I tried speaking any other than what I grew up on. I tried asking for a glass of water in Scrow, but another wave hit me, and I was ducking over the bucket again. What in Kumbricia's name was in that damn drink?

I didn't realize someone was holding my hair back until I went to run a hand through it Oz knows how long after I started. I jumped, nearly spilling the bucket, but Five snagged it before it sloshed. When I turned to see who was making sure my hair wasn't coated with my stomach, Avaric's stupid face was looking back at me.

"Oh Oz!" I cried, throwing my hands up and dropping my head back. I almost toppled out of my chair, but someone caught me. "Just send a Kumbric Witch to kill me now."

"I should be getting paid for this," I wheeled around on the stool to see small Boq standing behind me.

Were these really the people who come to my aid? I needed new friends.

"Where's Tibbett?" I grunted, pushing away Avaric's hands as he tried to help me stand.

"With Crope," Boq handed something to Sarima.

I snorted, "_In _Crope?" I snickered but was cut off by a sharp punch to my gut. My stomach liked that even less than I did. I simply stared at the Munchkin in horror. "The jumping beans _don't _like that," I told him.

"What the fuck does that even mean?" Avaric laughed, trying to get me into my coat.

I scrambled away from him and the coat. He probably laced it with poison that would seep through my clothes and into my skin. I wouldn't feel it until it was consuming me in a deathly burning sensation. He probably thought he was clever, but I was onto him. He wanted Elphaba for himself, wanted me out of the picture, so he could be with her. He was probably planning on cutting my pretty cock off from the beginning. Add insult to injury. Injury to insult. Rub acid in the wound he was already making.

"You are completely delusional!" Avaric snapped. I frowned at him and for a second thought he was reading my mind. But it was very possible all I did was say it all out loud.

"Can I please have a glass of whatever you gave him?" I heard Boq ask. One of the girls said something to him and he replied, "As much as it takes to make me forget these people's problems."

"Stay away from me," I hissed when Avaric went to reach for me.

I snatched my bottle away from the Munchkin and left a fistful of coins on the counter for Sarima and her sisters. Ignoring Avaric and Boq's calls, I wound my way through the back streets in Shiz, ones that I knew like that back of my hand, in search of a bed to help warm.

When I woke up the next morning, though, I was sandwiched between Crope and Tibbett on Tibbet's floor. We were lying on various throw pillows that Tibbett collected, and blankets were piled on top of us and around up. Without moving much, I took in the room around me. Boq was curled up in a chair with drool making a wet stain on the arm. Avaric was passed out on the small loveseat that Tibbett and I found at a market, and Galinda was flopped on top of him, snoring ever so lightly. And Elphaba was sitting on the floor a few paces away, leaning against the wall with a book in her hands. She caught my gaze after a couple seconds. There was something like relief in her expression before it completely washed away as she narrowed her eyes. She popped up, roughly shrugged into her coat, and then opened the door to slam it shut without leaving.

It was met with a collective groan and several curse words.

"Oh, good, everyone's up."

Galinda said something, but it was muffled from her face being shoved into Avaric's chest.

"Get up, Fiyero, we have a breakfast to attend in ninety minutes."

She slammed the door again on her way out this time. Someone cried. It may have been Boq.

**Okay, so if you haven't read the book or heard about the deal with Sarima and her sisters, here's my short recap of their part: Sarima is Fiyero's wife in the book, and they were betrothed to each other at a very young age. She has five sisters, all named after the order of their birth, and neither of them can get married until Sarima does. Which obviously poses a problem when Fiyero dies, because Sarima is just not having any of that getting remarried business. Cherrystone is a Commander in the book, and he's a suitor of Sarima after Fiyero dies. **

**I think Sarima and her sisters are Arjiki in the book, but I really wanted someone to speak Mohawk, so I made them Scrow.**

**Interested? Intrigued? Need a question answered? Need a thought vocalized? Leave a review! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**This is short, I know, and I'm SO VERY sorry! It's the end of the semester for me, though, and I have three papers due in two weeks that I haven't even picked a topic for. So I'll be going on a short break once this is up.**

**Disclaimer: Nope.**

Milla had a study date with Boq. Shenshen was sick with something that was giving her purple bumps all over her face. Pfannee was out of town. The other Fanny was currently upset with Galinda. Tibbett had locked himself in a backroom at the library. Crope had a costume fitting. And Avaric had taken off the second Galinda walked into our apartment with a set look on her face. Elphaba and I had been in my room, looking for a cufflink I lost after the breakfast we had attended the other week, so no one gave us fair warning that Galinda wanted to go shopping. She beamed at us when we walked out of the room after _finally _finding it in my sock drawer, and we knew there was no going back.

So that's how we found ourselves at a dress shop in Shiz before noon on a Saturday morning with the blonde who was much too excited. Elphaba liked to considered herself a woman of extreme acceptance and tolerance and overall appreciation of all fashion, but even she hated coming shopping with Galinda. Why? Because the blonde would spend all day visiting more than ten stores and only go home with one dress from the first store. And she would never buy that dress first. She would comment on how ugly it was, and then she would spend the rest of the day changing her mind about it until she just had to go back and get it. No one liked shopping with Galinda Upland. Even Milla, Pfannee, and Shenshen attempted to crawl under rocks in order to avoid going when Galinda wanted.

It was a terrible tragedy to have to go shopping with the blonde. I blamed myself for us getting roped in this time. Apparently my tumultuous relationship with my wife was the reason we were being subjected to this horror.

"What do you think life is like for Master Upland?" I asked Elphaba as we tried another thumb war.

"Master Upland?" She repeated offhandedly. Do not let the woman fool you, she's as competitive as the come. I won the last match at the previous dress shop, and she didn't talk to me until we got to the next about an hour later.

"He's got to get pushed into going shopping with Galinda and her mother. That can't be any fun."

"Actually," Galinda popped out of the dressing room, and I almost fell out off the couch. Elphaba used my distraction to pin my thumb down with a '_Ha!'_ as Galinda bounced over to us. "Momsie is the one who doesn't like going shopping. Popsicle and I could spend all day at the shops. What do you think?" She twirled in front of us.

I quickly laced my fingers through Elphaba's before she could take her hand back. I grinned when a flush started working its way up her neck.

"Bah!" Galinda threw her arms up. "I don't even know why I bother with you. Elphie can't even tell the difference between red and scarlet-"

"There is _no _difference!"

"-and you have the attention span of a toddler."

I smirked and stared at Elphaba as I said, "I'm quite good at paying attention to things that interest me."

The blush deepened.

"If this is a ploy to get out of shopping with me, I'll have you know it's not working. Need I remind you what happened the last time I was left alone to shop?"

Elphaba and I exchanged a glanced, and then Elphaba promised that we weren't going anywhere. I don't even remember the story at this point. I don't even think half of us know the story anymore. Galinda liked to bring up its ghost over and over again, but it was hardly a ghost anymore. Not even a memory. Just a blink of a shadow, really. Sometimes it was just easier to give the blonde what she wanted and suffer the agony in silence. At least I had Elphaba to suffer with.

I slouched back into the couch, still linked with Elphaba. She sat on the edge of her spot for a while as Galinda browsed through some racks. She relaxed when Galinda disappeared back into the dressing room with an armful of dresses that were _absolutely necessary_. I turned my head to look at her when she sank back and stared up at the ceiling. I liked how her eyelashes were so long and so dark that it looked like she was wearing the same mascara Galinda did. Not that I thought she needed paint to be pretty. Just that there was a natural beauty to her.

"Avaric said you've been going up to that Six Sisters bar a lot," Elphaba said without looking away from the spot on the ceiling.

"Hm?" I tore my attention away from her features and turned to look up where she was fixated on. "Oh, yeah, the bar. Yes. They have good liquor and cheap prices, and Sarima is good company."

Elphaba made a noise in the back of her throat.

"I think you'd like her."

"Maybe," she replied stiffly.

"She and her sisters are Scrow," I told her. "Though, they fled when they were all very young." I reminded her of the Scrow's tradition, and she remarked that my father was such a good man that it probably would have been me betrothed to Sarima. I agreed. "She knows so much," I went on, "I figure she picks up on topics that people come in knowing."

"She sounds delightful."

I shot Elphaba a quick glance, because I wasn't sure what I heard on her voice.

"You should stop by sometime. Sarima typically works every day except for Wednesdays, but sometimes she just needs a day to herself. Three and Five are better company than Two, Four, and Six. Two, Four, and Six just sort of skate through nights on the good looks. Three and Five seem to have a little more work ethic like Sarima." I stopped when Elphaba took a deep breath.

"What is taking her so long?" Elphaba grunted, pushing away from the couch and pacing nearby the dressing room.

"I was planning on going there tonight, if you want to come with me."

"I don't really do bars."

"It's a teahouse before noon on weekends and Tuesdays."

"Lovely."

I frowned. I had no idea what was going on. I mean, I was irritated that Galinda was taking so long, too, but at least I could contain it.

"We could make it a date tomorrow morning."

"I'm busy."

"This morning you said you had nothing going on all weekend."

"I forgot that Avaric and I are getting breakfast with Nessa tomorrow."

"Oh," I muttered, frowning deeper at the back of her head. I tried for something that may have looked like nonchalance when she turned around.

"Maybe another time," she gave me a quick, forced grin.

Elphaba, the traitor, left me alone in the room as she slipped into the dressing room with Galinda. I had no clue what I even did. We had a lot of mutual friends, and I was just trying to make another one. Sarima was smart and clearly capable of looking after herself and others, and I assumed that was something Elphaba could relate to. They were both independent and fiercely loyal and protective of their sisters. They were like a match made by the gods. I'm sure Sarima has her faults. Maybe Elphaba already picked up on one that I didn't see? Though, I felt it nearly impossible, seeing as I could barely get one word in about her.

I told the clerk to tell the girls I'd be right back (if they even came out of the dressing room), and I went in search of a coffee shop that sold green tea. The one next door only sold coffee and spirits. I thought about getting a shot of something strong in a coffee, but I didn't think it would put me on any better playing ground. It would probably get me kicked out of this little outing. Though tempting as it was, it'd put me in even worse with Elphaba. There was just no good end to having coffee with a kick. On the other side of the block was a questionable coffeehouse. I think there was a couple having sex in the front corner. I kept my eyes on the cashier, got the drinks and left before I contracted some kind of disease just from being around the sexually active duo.

The girls were at the checkout when I came back into the shop. I was slightly surprised that a purchase was being made. Galinda never bought anything until the end of the day. My curiosity piqued, though, when Elphaba was the one to hand over money and get the prepared box in return. When the blonde caught my gaze, she gave me a look like the cat that ate the canary. Galinda was not a smug individual. She was bouncy and open and breezy. The look was absolutely terrifying and completely exciting.

"Did my wife just buy something from a store Galinda shops at?" I asked when both of them met me at the exit.

"Yes," Elphaba gave me a side look and tucked the box under her arm as if I was going to make a grab for it.

"One green tea for the cheater." I swear to all the gods, the look the two of them gave me could have burned cities, so I quickly added, "At thumb wrestling. That was a cheap win. Galinda, I got you dragon fruit tea. It's pink." I handed over the other cup to Galinda to keep from babbling.

"I'm surprised you didn't get a spirited coffee for yourself," Galinda winked.

"As am I."

We went to a shoe store next. I like the cobblers much better than the tailors. Where the tailors left Galinda to her own devices, the cobblers had someone with her every step of the way. Although, it really wasn't all that exciting for Elphaba and I on the side, but all the hype in the room was inspiring. Besides, it was endlessly amusing to see Galinda try to walk in some of the shoes the employees gave her. Even Elphaba had to hide a snicker when the blonde all but wiped out after attempting to walk in heels that were probably as tall as her head. I would never understand the styles of the Emerald City.

The next shop was nowhere near as exciting as the cobbler. I wasn't even allowed past the main lobby, because the establishment had a strict separation policy. Galinda tried to argue and say that I was just there to keep her safe, but the manager tried to assure her that with sexes being separated, she would be safe. There were probably hundreds of opinions on the tip of Elphaba's tongue, but the manager ushered the girls into their side of the building before I could hear any of them. I sneered at the manager's retreating back and hoped Elphaba was talking her ear off. The receptionist gave me a sympathetic look, but that was the most I got.

I let out a long suffering sigh and sunk into one of the chairs they had in the lobby. They weren't even comfortable. The receptionist watched me like I was going to lose my temper and barge into the girls' side of the store, so I made a show of reaching for the first available magazine and flipping through the pages. A magazine that was old, to boot. I flipped back to the cover to find that the magazine wasn't even from this month. So, because I _had _to, I made a comment aloud about how apparently only the crème de la crème of clothing stores have outdated magazines available for customers. The receptionist rolled her eyes at me, and I opened the magazine to a random part and shuffled through some pages. It wasn't even interesting or-

I flipped back to the previous page's title written in a familiar green. The words jumped out at me in an almost mocking way. I read over the page I was looking at a couple times before standing up quickly.

"Can I keep this?" I asked the receptionist.

She just stared at me.

"Are your bosses really going to miss an outdated magazine?"

I stuffed it in my satchel when she continued to not give me an intelligent answer. What were they going to do? Fine me for taking an old magazine? I could run their company into the ground.

"Just tell the girls I'm with that something came up."

When I push the front door to our apartment open, Avaric was sitting on the couch, rolling a cigarette, in a pink robe that I didn't even know he owned. The sight of him slowed me down momentarily, but I was a man on a mission. I dropped the magazine down on the coffee table in front of him and waited for his reaction. At first, he did nothing but continue to roll and generally ignore me.

"You know how much I love these games of guess what Fiyero is thinking," Avaric said, squinting at the cigarette, "but things usually go much better if you just use your words."

"Is this the magazine that everyone is talking about?"

"I'm not really up on what the kids are talking about these days."

"Don't play coy."

Avaric grabbed the box of matches from beside the magazine and barely spared it a glance as he lit his stick up.

"That would be the one," he said on an exhale.

"Why didn't anyone tell me? How has hiding this from me been any better?"

He let out a bark of laughter, "And what would you have done? Why would _you _be the first person any of us would think to tell?" I opened my mouth to respond, but he cut me off, "And please be reasonable."

I frowned then stood up a little straighter, "I'm assuming she came to you with it right away?"

Avaric looked at me like I was some wild beast whose next move couldn't be anticipated. So my frown deepened.

"Who else would she go to?"

"I think it's time you started looking into new employment opportunities," I said, staring down at him.

He blew out another plume of smoke in my direction. "Aside from the fact that I don't work for you: why? Because you're jealous of me?" I scoffed. "I get it, Fiyero," he said as he put his cigarette down, "you've developed feelings for her. I _get _it. You're trying to prove that you can be the man who deserves that ring. But what you're doing in the present doesn't change what you've done in the past."

I stayed silent while he looked at me, waiting for a response. When I didn't give him one, he sighed and picked the cigarette back up, taking a long drag and slow exhale.

"Oz, sit down, you're making me antsy." Avaric went on when I sat in the armchair, "Can you even count how many girls you've slept with since being married on two hands?" He asked.

He didn't say it unkindly, so I forced myself to answer without bite, "No."

"Then do you really think my platonic relationship with the woman I've known since before puberty is the problem?" He hummed when, again, I remained silent. "Let's go to that bar you've been talking about. I've been dying to try the liquor that had even you floored."

**Yes, that was a jealous Elphaba you witnessed. Yes, she will handle her jealousy better than Fiyero handles his. And yes, the article here is the article that triggered Elphaba's new wardrobe. When I come back, it'll be explained.**

**Interested? Intrigued? Reviews give good vibes.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello, all you wonderfully beautiful people! I'm back! My goal is to try and update once a week. **

**This chapter is very dark at time compared to the rest of the fic. Like aftermath of a successful Dothraki raid. Two of the worst triggers would be child murders and rape. So be cautious.**

**That being said, I have fluffy, happy couple and friendship moments to try and offset it. And my own brand of humor. I'm not plunging and leaving you into the abyss here.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

"I don't remember much," Avaric was saying to me, Three, and Five after he and I had pulled an all-nighter for essays each of us had to tailor. We had just turned them in at the nine o'clock deadline after classes and then practically flew to the bar. "I couldn't have been any older than five, but I remember hearing this loud siren sounding, because I had never heard it before."

"What did it sound like?" Three asked. I opened my eyes and looked over at Avaric, and Five had stopped carding her fingers through my hair. Three was frowning down at where Avaric's head was in her lap.

Avaric stared up at the ceiling with his brows drawn together in concentration.

"Like a woman screaming. I'm not even sure if screaming is the right word. It was so high pitched, so screechy. I've never heard anything like it since." He dragged a hand down his face. "It scared me so much that I wet the bed."

Two, Four, and Six were working, and Cherrystone took the day off to take care of Sarima who had been on bed rest for the past week for some ailment that was going around. Avaric and I had gotten about halfway through a shared bottle when Three and Five came in, looking for company, only to find us. They bought us another bottle, and the four of us shared. I don't know how we ended up on the floor, but no one seemed to have fallen. The sisters had been started a cycle of braiding and unbraiding our hair in different styles. Avaric and I protested at first, but I had to say the feeling of having the braid undone was well worth having it done. Five had been making excellent work of my hair all night.

The braiding dissolved into having fingers carded through our hair at some point. The stupid conversations had turned serious not long after. We were on the topic of Avaric's childhood, because he was drunk and a pretty girl with a pretty accent had asked.

"There was this woman, I think she was my mom," I blinked in horror. I couldn't even imagine not remembering my mother. "She grabbed me from my bed and carried me out of the room and downstairs."

Avaric pushed himself up from Three's lap and leaned against the wall. His face contorted in concentration again as he tried recalling memories that probably weren't going to come with the influence of alcohol. The three of us watched him on bated breath, though. I had never heard so much as a whispered word about Avaric's life before the Thropps took him in. I never even thought that it maybe was because he didn't remember it. That was the first thing he said before starting on his tale. He told us that the memories he had before the Thropps are far and few between, and he wasn't even sure they weren't just dreams or hallucinations. He had been sick for his first year with the Thropps. Fever, chills, no appetite, hallucinations. The whole shebang.

"It was one of the biggest fires the town had ever seen, but everyone knows that." He stopped again, tugging on the ribbon that held his braid in place. "There was a group standing outside, and I, um, I think they were waiting for us." Avaric accepted the shot Five poured for him. "They dragged me away from her by the back of my neck. I have scars," he added as if he needed to give us justification. As if we all hadn't learnt about the Sack of Tenmeadows.

"What happened to her?"

Avaric gave Three a scathing look. "What do you think happened to her? What happens to women in war? What happens to women when mountain morons get lucky and successfully attack a city?"

Everyone knew the historical event. A ruthless nomad tribe from The Scalps invaded Tenmeadows when troops from Tenmeadows were on an expedition in Ugabu with elite members of the Gale Force. The entire town was close to destroyed. Houses were torched, businesses were wrecked, and just about the entire infrastructure was demolished. Men who weren't drawn and quartered were taken as prisoners or slaves. Women who weren't raped and sold to tribesmen were raped and beheaded. My father always said the children were the lucky ones. The tribe had never saved children. I was told that saving children chanced the risk of a rebellion later on. So they took children out to fields, had them dig their own graves, and then offed them.

A year later, after the tribe had set up camp on the land, the Wizard had forces surround the town and kill every last tribesman there. It was the only thing the Wizard's done that my parents gave their full support for.

"They had tied this rope around my neck and the other end to a horse's saddle, and I was supposed to keep up as they lead me out of town." I stared at Avaric as he brought his hand up to his neck. His eyes had this far off look to them, and I wasn't even sure if he was aware he was tossing back shots. He just didn't look like he was all there. "Something spooked the horse, and the rope tightened around my neck, and I remember trying to scream or cry for it to stop." Three and Five were holding each other's hand.

"I remember it started bucking, and I was just happy it stopped running. But I couldn't stop coughing, and I was trying to breathe, so I was trying to loosen the noose from my neck. My hands were shaking, though. And then there was this shot-" Avaric stopped abruptly. No one spoke as Avaric polished another two shots. "The last thing I remember is the look in the horse's eye as it was falling on me."

"Oz." Five let out a rush of breath and poured a shot for each of us.

"The Governor tried to get me to remember my family name. He just settled on calling me Avaric Tenmeadows when I couldn't give him an answer. But the Thropps are the only family I can ever remember." A goofy smile broke out over his face as he patted my knee lightly, "They told me that Elphaba used to come in to my room that first year I was there and read to me. They said they said she only knew how to properly read about ten books, but she would pretend like everything she was saying was completely true."

I grinned back at him, "That sounds like her."

"Yeah," he agreed, "it always has. She was the first friend I had," he told Three and Five, but I heard him loud and clear.

"She sounds like a truly wonderful person," Three said.

"She's perfect," I said before thinking.

It caused Avaric to roar with laughter, which I think I liked better than him reliving a real life horror story.

"Oh, thank you, you sweet salvation," Avaric cooed when Six put a plate of finger foods before us. She blushed a deep shade of violet before fleeing behind the bar again. He grinned after her and then stuffed some food in his mouth as he continued, "Elphaba is not perfect."

I shot him a glare.

"Elphaba cares too much about what other people think of her and too little of what she thinks of herself," he said. Three and Five hummed like they understood exactly what he was talking about.

"Have you talked to her about the article yet?" Three asked me.

"Look at him, tootsie" Avaric snickered, "of course he hasn't. You know why?"

"Enlighten us," I rolled my eyes.

"You're going to scare her, and you know it. It'll be at the worst moment, and you'll ask her if she trusts you. Which is the worst thing you can ask someone who has trust issues, and Elphaba will immediately be on the defensive. Then you'll do something stupid like, I don't know, put the article in front of her, and the defense will become an iron curtain. She'll tell you she hadn't even seen it. She'll tell you that she doesn't care what some low profile gossip rag says about her. She'll tell you it doesn't matter. She'll tell you she's the future Queen of the Vinkus."

"Why would you even start it by asking if she trusts you?" Again, Three directed the question at me.

"I wouldn't!"

"Except he would," Avaric kicked my leg lightly with his foot. I harrumphed and crossed my legs and closed my eyes. Five giggled and rustled my hair. "Come on, Fiyero, you're a politics man. You're trained in the art of argument. You'll set yourself up for an argument without even knowing it, because it's a ground you're comfortable with."

"That's ridiculous."

Five and Three startled lightly when Two popped up behind us with, "Your livers are ridiculous." She was my least favorite of the sisters. Avaric didn't even have a silly pet name for her. She was just unpleasant. "Don't you two have a home? Why are you still here?" She grabbed the plate of food. Avaric tried to snatch some more, but his locomotion wasn't up to par.

"Aren't you supposed to be respectful of patrons?" Avaric grunted.

"During hours of operation." She gave Three and Five a disappointed look. "Don't bother," she said when I tried picking my head up off of Five's lap, "I already sent for someone to fetch you two."

"Oz, she called Mom on us," he groaned loudly, his hands covering his face.

Boq was usually the person called if Avaric or I got too drunk here, or anywhere really. He was always the most reliable and accommodating when it came to taking care of drunk people. Recently I've figured it was because his own other was so good at taking care of people that he probably just had it in his blood. Or maybe Avaric and I had gotten drunk more times that either of us cared to admit or remembered. He complained about it all the time, but he was always the first one there to help anyone when they needed it. He was too good for us, and he knew it but never said it. We knew it and always said it, but he would just wave his hand and ask if we were drunk or asphyxiating. My point, though, is that Avaric commonly referred to the Munchkin as 'Mom' when he was drunk, because even if Boq was something of a saint, he still enjoyed nagging our ear off when he found us.

So we were both a little surprised when Boq was not the one to walk through the door fifteen minutes after Two so rudely interrupted our festivities. Galinda, in all her pink and sparkling glory, had this awful look on her face as she looked around the bar. I could officially cross 'Get Galinda to walk into a dive bar' off my bucket list. There was just something so incredibly wrong about seeing her, though. The bright pink of her dress stuck out against the dark colors in the dark bar, and the way her damn blonde hair caught the damn candle light made it look like she was glowing. I vaguely heard Avaric mumble something about having a sparkly religious experience, but I was too caught up in the amount of glitter on Galinda's dress to care all that much.

Elphaba walked right in after Galinda, nudging the blonde when one of the sisters told the girls where we were. I thought my stomach was going to jump out of my mouth as I hurried to sit upright. Elphaba was different. She looked _Galinda-fied. _She was going to step on me with those heels. Heels. Actually heels.

The two of them were such an odd looking pair. Honestly, they were both so florescent looking that they probably could start their own traveling side show. Elphaba's skin tone was unlike anything Oz had seen, and I'm sure the amount of glitter and pink Galinda has to wear is some kind of mental condition. Seriously. I don't know anyone to own so many clothes of one color. I won't even insult my list of friends to compare the amount of glitter Galinda has. Well, okay, let's just say that not even Crope and Tibbett have as much if they combined their glitter collections. I was going to ask Galinda if she shit glitter, but I wasn't _that _intoxicated.

Besides, I was much more interested in Elphaba. Was that glitter? Was she really wearing glitter? She frowned at me as I frowned at her, trying to figure out if my eyes were deceiving me or if I was in fact seeing cleavage. Did she go to the OzDust? She looked like she did. She was dressed like she did. I could see her knees!

"This is so much worse than Boq," I muttered as Galinda led Elphaba over with this terrible, terrible smile on her face.

"Don't say anything stupid," Avaric warned as if I was going to bring up the article there and then.

"Hello," Galinda greeted sickeningly sweetly, looking at Three and Five. "I don't think we've been properly introduced."

"I think we'd have remembered someone so…" Three gave Five a look.

"Peppy," Five finished with a grin.

"Yes, you see, I am Galinda Upland," Galinda smiled smugly, and the sisters just nodded. Territories and nobility really meant nothing to the Scrow unless it directly affected them. Three and Five would have been too young to learn about Gillikinese culture anyway.

"Glin-" Avaric tried to interrupt as Galinda finished expectantly with, "of the Upper Uplands."

Three's smile falter a little from uncertainty, which was apparent in her voice as she answered, "Okay."

"And this is Elphaba Tiggular," Galinda was gazing at Five as she said it. "She's Fiyero's wife. So that would be Princess Elphaba Tiggular to you. She's future Queen of the-"

"What?" Elphaba bit at me, cutting Galinda off.

I stared at her for a second before shutting my mouth after realizing it was open. I shook my head and told her, "Nothing."

Galinda opened her mouth to talk, but my mouth decided to keep going before she could even get a sound out.

"It's just…" Avaric said my name under his breath in warning. "You've been _Galinda-fied. _You don't have to do that, you know."

"Shut up, Fiyero," Avaric hissed. "Ladies, ladies, ladies, let us act like ladies, yeah?" The sisters smirked, but Avaric got a good glare from the other two. "Three, Five, as you've so nicely been introduced, this is Galinda and Elphaba. Galinda, Elphaba, Three and Five."

"Three and Five?" Galinda's brows raised slightly.

"Sarima is on bed rest."

"Why is that even-"

"Shut up, Fiyero."

"You told me you weren't doing anything tonight," Galinda accused Avaric as she crossed her arms in front of her.

"Galinda-" Elphaba started.

"And then Fiyero and I got thirsty."

Galinda shot Three and Five a disgusted glance as she said, "Clearly."

"Wow," Three said as she stood up, pulling Five with her. I noticed her accent seemed to be thicker, as I'd witness it do when she was uncomfortable. "Okay. Well," she wiped her hands on her pants, "this has been the most unfortunate meeting of my life. Fiyero and Avaric, we'll see you." Three knocked shoulders with Galinda as she drug Five past the blonde.

"They're going to charge us more for drinks now," I whispered.

"Shut up, Fiyero!" Galinda snapped.

Avaric grumbled as we struggled to get to our feet. Two was waiting impatiently by the door, frowning at us the longer we took. Galinda strutted towards the door as Avaric roughly fastened his cloak after shoving on his scarf. Then he took off after her, barking something that was muffled by the wind outside. Elphaba refastened her own cloak as I did up mine. She nodded and thanked Two as we past her on the way out. Two shook her head at me when I muttered "traitor". She slammed the door behind us and slammed the lock into place. I took comfort in the fact that we disliked her as much as she disliked us.

"-a liar!" Galinda was exclaiming from where the pair was at the corner of the road.

I tried my chances and took Elphaba's hand that was dangling between us as we stayed a reasonable distance behind Avaric and Galinda who were snowballing from one argument to another. Elphaba gave it a gentle squeeze, and I could have cried out in relief. I really did not want to end the night with an argument about who I chose to drink with.

"How was your night?" I asked cautiously.

"You should invite them to dinner this weekend," Elphaba replied with instead.

"Three and Five?"

"And Sarima," she said tightly. She cleared her throat. "It'd be nice to meet new people."

"Yeah?" I smiled at her.

Elphaba let out a small laugh and smiled back, "I'd like to meet them. On different terms."

"Absolutely," I pressed a kiss to her cheek, the corner of her mouth, and then her lips. She laughed at me again but kissed back. "We can go get breakfast tomorrow and invite Sarima then."

"I, um, actually," Elphaba paused, a blush creeping up her neck. Her blush never failed to intrigue me. "I was actually thinking that I could make you breakfast tomorrow."

"Can you even cook?"

Elphaba shot me an impatient look, "I'll cook you breakfast. Shall I call for or nudge you?"

"You burnt toast to a crisp this summer."

"We can figure out what to make in the morning after we get a couple hours of sleep."

"Did you take a cooking class or something?"

Elphaba took a deep breath. "I'll buy you dinner if you cook me breakfast."

I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. That was Avaric's line. That was the exact same thing Avaric said to girls last year when he wanted to go home with one. I stared at Elphaba, and it made the blush creep even further up her neck.

"Are you trying to pick me up?" I couldn't help the grin that was taking over my face. She gave me a look, and I cackled before pulling her close and kissing her forehead. "You don't have to do this. I promise you that I'm not interested in anyone but you." I gave her a quick peck on the lips. "The sisters are just friends. It's nice to have Vinkuns for company at Shiz."

"No," Elphaba shook her head and took my hands from her waist and laced our fingers together. "I don't care about that. I want to." She looked down at her outfit and then back at me, "Avaric was supposed to bring you to the OzDust tonight."

"Am I being wooed?" Was this really happening? She had to know that none of this was necessary. I'd come to her beck and call no matter what she was wearing or doing.

"I want to show you what I bought the other week."

I think I actually felt all the blood in my body pool in a certain area. I followed her like a dog the short distance from where we were to my place. This was happening. This was actually happening. This was not happening as I had thought it would. I was planning on candles and flowers and a bed that actually made. I don't even think I'd changed the sheets in the last month. My room probably smelt like man. I was a man. Of course it smelt like man. I was planning on music, too. I was going to steal Tibbett's music box, and I was going to have romantic music playing in the background. I had a plan, and I was entirely okay with that plan going down the drain. This was happening. This was happening, and poor Avaric was going to hear everything.

"Avaric isn't going to be-"

"Avaric's going to end up in Galinda's bed by the time they've exhausted their fight. It's always like this,  
Elphaba said as I fumbled with the lock to the door.

I paused, "I beg your pardon?"

"Fiyero," she gave me a look, "you can't seriously not know. You _live _with Avaric."

"They're _together_?"

"She's been here when we wake up in the morning."

"Yeah, because she just likes to cook us…" I trailed off. "Breakfast."

Elphaba smiled at me, and I managed to shove the door open. I had barely caught her lips for another long kiss before my brain registering candlelight tore me from her.

Crope was sitting on the couch with his back pressed against one of the arms. He kept his arms circled around his legs, but he looked like he wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch Tibbett. Tibbett who was sitting stiff as a plank on the edge of the other side of the couch. His back was to me, but I imagine his expression was just as tight as his appearance. Boq was sitting across from the two of them on the coffee table, his face resting on his fists. The Munchkin was looking at me with serious expression and added a brief flicker in Tibbett's direction. It was an overall uncomfortable setting, and it took a moment to wash over how grave it looked before I could properly function. Something was wrong. Of course something was wrong.

"We went to the Philosophy Club," Boq said as I started towards the lot of them. Elphaba shut the door and lit a couple candles the three of them hadn't.

I'd never actually been to the Philosophy Club. I'd heard _things _about it, but I had never actually gone. All I knew were the rumors that they summoned old magic in it. But Oz was such an old country that old magic meant different things to different people. So I just shook my head and chose not to answer, because there wasn't much to say anyway.

"You haven't been, have you?" Crope asked me when I sat next to Boq.

I shook my head again, finally getting a good look at Tibbett. He looked completely out of it. He was pale and sickly, and there was something about his eyes that was off. His mouth was set in the most unpleasant expression I had ever seen him wear. I wasn't even sure if he was breathing properly.

"I've heard it's an awful place," Elphaba muttered, coming to stand behind me.

"It is," Crope answered quickly, his eyes darting to her before straying back to Tibbett. "Awful."

"Tibbett just wanted to come here," Boq filled the silence that had settled. He looked over at me nervously. "He hasn't said much since we left. I wasn't sure if you two would be here, but I figured you wouldn't mind if it was an emergency. We just wanted to do something to help him."

"No, it's fine; it's fine," I assured him and then turned back to Tibbett, "Tibbett."

Tibbett blinked and took his attention off whatever it was he was seeing. "Are you going to make me leave?"

"Of course not," I told him. I stood and motioned for him to follow, "Come on, we'll find you something to wear to bed."

He pushed himself up slowly and gently, and then walked on ahead of me to my room. I noticed the hitch to his walk and stopped short, turning back to Boq and Crope who were both frowning as they blindly fumbled with their cloaks. Boq caught my gaze and let out a deep sigh. Rubbing my hands roughly over my face, I followed Tibbett into the bedroom. What in Kumbricia's name happened?

Tibbett had already shucked his clothes, and they were lying in a heaping mess in the middle of my room. The tunic I was going to wear this morning was now on Tibbett as he was curled up on his side on my half of the bed. He was smaller than I was, so it fit him oddly, but it obviously was something that hadn't phased him. I went to light another couple of candles until I heard the soft sob that escaped and shook his body. When I watched his form, I saw that he was shaking even without the vocalized sobs. So I let the candles go and carefully crawled into the bed beside him, leaving a decent amount of space that the bed allowed.

"I don't know what happened," I said into the darkness after a second wave of sobs subsided, "but I'm going to be here for you, Tibbett. I promise."

More waves of sobs followed, but this time he had flopped over and clung to me, sobbing into my shirt on and off throughout the night.

At some point in the night, Tibbett had managed to swaddle himself up in all the sheets and blankets available on my bed. He was still glued to my side, his arms were somewhere in his self-made cocoon. I stared at him as I let myself adjust to the morning. I could see the tracks his tears left in the makeup he had worn out last night. I had noticed something on his wrists when he was holding onto me last night, but it was so dark I couldn't have been sure what they were. A couple strands of hair stuck to his face where they had dried with his tears, and other strands were just sleep messed. I wondered what he would be like when he woke up.

I slipped out of bed without waking Tibbett and made it into the bathroom to wash up a little. He was still sacked out when I changed clothes and shut the blinds some more to prevent the sun from rousing him. I cleared off the nightstand next to him. I couldn't do much for him, but I could at least make him something for when he did wake up.

Elphaba was out in the main room when I pulled my bedroom door to a crack. Shutting a trauma victim in a dark room didn't seem to be the best idea. We trapped prisoners in dark rooms back at home, and I felt they probably did the same thing in the Gillikin. Tibbett would not appreciate being treated like a prisoner. Elphaba, though, was standing in front of the stove with a box of matches in her hand. The stove itself had a large skillet on it and several breakfast items next to it. There was a bouquet of amaryllis flowers and a leather-bound book that was clasped shut on the bar. Elphaba was looking at the stove like it was this foreign affair, the flowers and books forgotten behind her. I grinned. She stole a glance over her shoulder towards the front door, but otherwise paid no mind to where I was watching.

When she hesitantly motioned towards the stove and muttered something, I made the most unmanly, ungodly squawking noise that gave away my snooping. No, not snooping, right place at the wrong time. Elphaba dropped the box of matches she was holding as she stumbled to face me, a look of pure horror on her face.

"I'm sorry!" She spat out. "I just—I don't—I can't cook, and I wanted to do something for him, because I don't know what's wrong, and I got him some amaryllis, because I remember you said they were his favorite, and then I picked up that stupid book from the alley bookstore he won't shut up about, and I can't cook and didn't want to burn the place down trying to start the stove just to make some silly egg concoction." She took a sharp intake of breath after letting that out in one go. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again. I'm sorry." Elphaba was watching me like I was going to lash out or something. "Fiyero, please say something."

"You can do magic?"

"Madame Morrible has been giving me lessons since…" Elphaba trailed off as I walked towards the stove. "I promise I-"

"That is amazing," I whispered in wonder, ducking down to get a better look at the flames that were definitely lit under the skillet.

"I'm sorry," she frowned at me, "what?"

"Amazing, I said. So incredibly amazing. Why are you even apologizing? Do you know how many people can actually do magic? I haven't even seen anyone so much as successfully perform a hand trick let alone conjure a _fire._"

I stood back up to find a slow smile creeping up on her face.

"Yeah?"

"Are you kidding me?" I let out a short laugh and turned back to the stove. "Amazing. Baako would probably worship the ground you walk on if he found out." I added, "You should probably stir that if you're set on making breakfast."

I let out a noise of surprise when she all but assaulted me, grabbing the front of my tunic and pushing me into the counter next to the stove as she kissed me. It wasn't a dirty, raunchy kiss, but it was a good sound one and spoke words and emotions that would have made her uncomfortable to vocalize. She pulled away first, gave me one last chaste kiss, and then went back to breakfast with a wide grin on her face.

Tibbett staggered out of my room a little bit after the smell of coffee was circulating through the apartment. Coffee was a dead man's calling card. He had pulled on a pair of leggings that I knew belonged to Elphaba. It looked like he had used my bathroom to wash up some. The paint was off his face, and his hair was slightly damp, braided and thrown over his. He had snatched one of my belts and knotted it around his hips to keep the shirt from billowing. I would say that he looked better than he had last night, but I wasn't sure how much of a lie or truth it would be.

"Is that Vinkun?" he asked, nodding to the coffee.

"Of course," I replied immediately. As if I would consume the crap the Gillikinese called coffee.

"I may love you more than death." Tibbett hummed and took the cup I had poured for myself. He believed that death ought to be adored just as much as life. He also believed my drinks tasted much better than his own.

"Elphaba can do magic," I waved my hand at the stove. "She made the fire and food with it."

Tibbett raised his brows and looked at Elphaba, thoroughly impressed, causing Elphaba to blush. He slid onto the barstool next to me, dragging the book over to him with one hand while the coffee mug stayed firmly grasped in the other. After flipping through a couple pages, a small grin tugged at the corner of his lips. Then he plucked off one of the flowers just below the head and tucked it into his braid. I almost sighed in relief and almost cried in frustration. But it was probably better he talk about it on his own time rather than I pester him about it.

"What else can you do?" I glanced over at Elphaba when he asked it. She was divvying up the breakfast on three plates.

She shrugged, putting the skillet back on the stove.

"It depends, I suppose," she said as she put a plate in front of Tibbett and filled his mug up. "Madame Morrible is tutoring me."

Tibbett let out a low whistle.

"I can read English."

"Is that like a book or something?" I asked.

She shook her head, grinning at Tibbett when he made a sated sound after taking a bite of the food she made. I was a little hesitant to try it. You become a little wary after eating eggs she's made in the past.

"It's a language. Nothing spoke in Oz or an outlying region."

"And you know it?"

"I can make some of it out. That book you got me for Christmas-" Tibbett gave me a look. I hadn't told him that I just got her a book. I may have played it up to be an amazing thing that Elphaba and I wanted to keep to ourselves. "-is written in English."

"If it's not a known language, what's it doing in Oz?" Tibbett said.

"Who knows," Elphaba looked down at her food before tentatively taking a bite. "I can't make all of it out, but some of the spells I can read are just wondrous. There are spells for things I didn't even know needed spells."

"Maybe you can cast a spell on the magazine that wrote the slam piece on you," I told her without thinking. I needed to work on what was appropriate timing. I needed to work on thinking before speaking. It was out there, though, I couldn't take it back.

Tibbett and I watched her as she carried on as if I had just commented on something trivial instead of a fashion article that all but outright accused her of being an illegitimate princess.

Her shoulder jerked lightly and she said, "I don't think they're worth any backlash a spell could have. Magic is tricky."

"Father can-"

"I know what he can do," she snapped. She went on calmly after she took a breath, "I am the Princess. I'm not going to let a Prince Fiyero fangirl intimidate me into dressing up to the nines just to step outside," I thought it was wise not to mention the additions to her wardrobe, "or make me run to the King for help."

"Except for your new clothes." Tibbett was not as wise as I.

Elphaba gave him an Elphaba look and took another bite of her eggs. Tibbett held up his hands in surrender before going back to his own coffee and breakfast. I stared at Elphaba until she caught my gaze. She was so completely full of bullshit, and she knew I knew it. She rolled her eyes at me gave the briefest of nods, and I took it as a sign.

We ate in a comfortable silence. Elphaba and I were both cautious with the food, but Tibbett seemed to be enjoying it well enough. He ate and drank blindly as he flipped through the book Elphaba had bought him. His wrist caught my attention when he grabbed for the sugar cubes between us. The marks I had noticed last night where rope burns, thick and terrible looking. My gaze flicked to Elphaba who was already watching me.

"Tibbett-"

"Fiyero, you know what happened when Icarus flew too close to the sun."

**If you have not read the book, the Tibbett and Philosophy Club deal are discussed in that. Basically, it's implied that he was sodomized. So that's what's going on.**

**I'm also just going to pretend that Greek Mythology is something that Tibbett had translated fairly correctly.**

**Still interested? Still intrigued? **


	9. Chapter 9

**This is a shorter chapter and has not been edited. I'm sorry! There was an emergency, so I'll be out of town for a little while. I wanted to give you something, though. It may seem a little rushed, and that's because I wrote the first part and last part and was working on the middle when I got called away. So it's sort of thrown together with a quick transition. I'm also leaving you with a cliffie, which I'm eternally sorry for, but you know. Got to do what you got to do. I'll try to edit this and post another chapter by Monday to make up for this short one. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

Everyone got absolutely terrifying the two weeks before exams and graduation.

Boq had practically moved into the library. He was there whenever I turned up at the start of Elphaba's shift and was still there after she shut the library down. Neither of us would have been surprised if he had made use of one of the rooms in the back to act as a makeshift bedroom. Which was why I didn't even blink as Elphaba had conversationally told me that Boq had a nervous breakdown when their superior found him squatting in the Ancient Mathematical Conversions room and kicked him out. He showed up to the pub that same night with wild eyes and crazy hair, begging someone to help him find a quiet spot on campus.

Crope and Tibbett offered him up the basement of their complex. He said their place was pretty much a ghost town since half the students there were drama students. The other half were cramming over notes and books that the only sound they made was grunts as they hurried to make more coffee. Crope told us all the he really only slept at his place, because two of his finals were intensive monologues and two others were interactive script reading with any random person in his class. He also let us know that even he didn't know where Tibbett was spending his time. He had said it in a joking tone, but only Tibbett himself missed the somber expression in Crope's eyes. Tibbett had just shrugged a shoulder and said he was busy and wouldn't be a bother to Boq.

Miss Nessarose started popping up more around exam time. Probably because she was once again given an easy load. I glared at her every chance I could get when she turned her back, but I had to admit I was eternally grateful that she seemed to be stepping up to Boq's motherly role. If we were all at the pub, studying on a binge, she would show up with homemade treats and a pocket full of change to keep the coffee and tea coming. She even checked in on those of us who tended to shut themselves in doors—Boq, Tibbett, and Elphaba—to make sure they were still alive. She even brought me and Avaric some Vinkun coffee the day after we had been complaining we only had two days' worth left. Elphaba gave me an expectant look, so I thanked her.

Avaric was out of his damn mind. He was constantly out and about between meeting with his advisors, going to different fields around the city for samples, checking books out of the library, and popping in and out of our place or the pub. Which was fine. Some people just liked keeping busy during exams; they couldn't just stay down for too long. Nighttime was when he lost it, though. Sometimes he would be in the common area, talking to himself or arguing with himself about how rainfall affected each individual crop. He actually punched a hole in the wall a week and a half before exams started. Other times I had to start staying the night with Elphaba, because Avaric was taking out his nerves and frustrations by having the raunchiest sex with Galinda that I had ever heard. Elphaba had been sitting on my windowsill, checking the grammar on one of my papers as I checked the political accuracy of hers, and we both took off in haste when Galinda let out a ridiculous sound that would give us nightmares for ages.

Elphaba was the only sane one among us. Which was really saying something considering she was talking the most classes of all of our friends. When I asked her why she wasn't freaking out more, she said it was because she constantly prepared for exams, so they were no issue when they finally got here. Whenever I saw her, she had a new book, which she said was part of her study cycle. She just went through a list of what she needed to do and repeated when she got to the end.

My favorite of her "study materials" was an article she nabbed from one of Galinda's magazines. The second night we were forced out of my place, we found our way back to her place, and it didn't take long for us to end up in bed. I was hardly one to kiss and tell, but her strong and dominating personality wasn't only something she reserved for public life. But hells, I wasn't complaining. I would do anything she asked. I was her Vinkun slave. Galinda's little article gave her wonderful tips, and Elphaba was nothing if not a fast learner.

"What kind of studier are you?" Three asked after I told her about all my friends' habits.

We were at a small outside restaurant in one of the parks bordering Shiz with Five. Avaric was supposed to come with us, but there had been rainfall the previous night and called him to take some more samples. Sarima and Elphaba both told us they would be late, each of them having something to attend to first. So Three, Five, and I took to ordering ourselves drinks while we waited.

I shrugged as I took a drink of house special wine. "Most of my work is research, and I'll probably cram most of it on the last week."

"At least Elphaba seems to have a level head about her work," Five commented. "I couldn't even imagine all the work she has to be doing."

"I'm just glad she's not turned crazy like the rest. Even Miss Nessarose gets a little insane with all the emotions buzzing from the rest of us."

The two of them hummed and started telling me about a group of students who came in the other day and drank all of their good alcohol. They said there was about fifteen of them, and each of them would have drunk Avaric and me under the table. I didn't believe them at first, but when they started dropping some names, I took back my skepticism. Avaric and I hadn't really ventured down to the bar recently, not with finals looming in the distance. Even though I was a procrastinator, I still had things to get done, and Avaric was always working on something that he couldn't risk because of a well-deserved hangover. Three and Five said that business usually lagged around exam time anyway, because students who had been slacking all term started to pick up. Apparently the weekend after exams was when they got their best business.

I frowned when Elphaba and Sarima showed up. When they showed up together, talking and smiling about something like they were good ole pals. I glanced about for reporters or someone, but the place was closed to the press without proper passes. Elphaba had barely talked to Sarima and her sisters when we invited them to brunches and dinners. So call me crazy, but I was a little anxious about their sudden camaraderie.

"Oh, yeah, forgot to mention that Elphaba's been coming around," Five smirked over the rim of her glass.

"Why?" Her smirk just deepened. "Come on, tell me."

"Or what? You'll have me arrested?"

"Sorry we're late," Sarima smiled as she and Elphaba took their seat. Elphaba gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "We got caught up."

"What's in the bag?" I asked, nodding to the shopping bag that Elphaba was holding.

"Nothing," she mumbled and moved the bag so it was situated between herself and Sarima. Three and Five snickered at whatever look crossed over my face. "Have you all ordered yet?"

"Just drinks," Three held up with a grin.

"Where'd you get caught up at?" I continued on.

"Nothing big," Sarima answered. "We were in line behind this man at the bookstore who was throwing the biggest fit."

"You went to the bookstore together?"

"Yes?"

"Any interesting books, Elphaba?"

"Nothing that would interest you. Do they have a vegetarian option here?"

I didn't forget about the mysterious bag while we talked and ate with Sarima, Three, and Five. Of course, I didn't let my curiosity steal my attention away from the table, though. So I kept up the conversation, but my mind kept wandering to guessing what book could possibly be so important that it needed to be kept a secret from me. It could have been a present, but Elphaba wouldn't have gotten me a book as a present. There weren't many books I didn't have back home, and I hadn't mentioned any authors penning new volumes of anything recently. So it had to be a book for her personally. I just couldn't imagine what kind of book she would need to keep secret from me. A couple of time she caught my gaze when I threw glances down at it. She would just grin at me and take a bite out of whatever it was that she ordered.

"So shopping with Sarima, eh? Whatever will Galinda say about your new shopping companion?" I teased Elphaba as we walked back to my place from the park. I swung our hands, occasionally bringing them up to my lips to kiss the back of hers.

"Galinda wouldn't be caught dead in a bookstore," Elphaba answered with a soft smile. "You were the one who said I should spend more time with Sarima."

"Yeah, me and Sarima," I huffed.

"What?" Elphaba laughed at me, "Are you afraid I'm going to tell her about your little crush on her?"

I snorted, "I don't have a crush on Sarima. I just admire her work ethic and dedication. Like a good king would recognize his workers."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, darling." Elphaba giggled when I bumped our shoulders.

"Are you staying the night?" I asked as we got closer to mine.

"Not tonight," she sighed. "I have a presentation tomorrow on proper banquet etiquette. As if I haven't been attending banquets for my entire life and as if any of these banquets ever differ from one another." She rolled her eyes. "The only difference is that people have to applaud when I walk into the room as Princess Elphaba of the Tiggular clan of the Arjiki tribe, ruling family of the Vinkus as opposed to Elphaba Thropp of Munchkinland."

"Please, Elphie, try to contain your excitement, will you?"

"Oh, yes, I'm so happy I could melt." Another eye roll. "I just need to use your bathroom and grab my bags."

She took off for the bathroom after I let us into the place. The bag she had been carrying, though, was carelessly tossed onto the island.

I looked at the shopping bag that was sitting on the island and then over to where Elphaba had just disappeared into my room. Really, I should have been ashamed of how fast I moved to see what was in it. But come on. She wasn't going to be in the bathroom forever, and I needed to strike while I had the time. If Tibbett was here, he would have surely made some reference to Icarus, because the second I caught a look at what was in there, I reeled back in shock. It took me a moment to remember how to move before I went back over to the bag, taking another peek inside before hastily putting the bag back the way I found it.

Okay. It's fine. Everything was cool. I was cool. I was the definition of cool. We were cool. Elphaba and I were the definition of cool.

I frowned at the bag as I crossed my arms over my chest. Then I turned my frown towards my bedroom. What was Elphaba doing in there? Did it really take that long to go to the bathroom? I startled then. I needed to be doing something other than suspiciously looking like I had just looked in the bag she was trying to keep me from looking in. I grabbed this morning's paper and flipped to any page and threw it over the island. I tried picking out words in the article in case Elphaba asked, but I couldn't see anything but my thoughts playing out before me. The words just melded together and made absolutely no sense.

But it was fine. Everything was cool. I was-

"The paper's upside down," Elphaba frowned at me as she reemerged.

"Oh," I glanced over at her, "I know." I added, "Crope was talking the other day about how sometimes they makes images of the word layout if you turn it around like this." I was remarkably impressed with myself. "Are you alright?"

She gave me a questioning glance, "Yes. Is there a reason I shouldn't be?" she asked as Avaric walked through the front door. He nodded his head in acknowledgement and collapsed on the couch.

"I don't know. I don't know your body. I mean, I _know _your body, but I don't _know _your body." Elphaba raised her brows at me, and Avaric made a sound from where he was on the couch. "Functions. I don't know your bodily functions."

"How much of that wine did you have?" She teased as she folded up the paper.

"Clearly not enough." I muttered, and she asked what I said, looking up from where she was tucking her shopping bag into her satchel. "Oh, I said just enough," I lied.

"Are _you _alright?"

"Me?" She gave me an odd smile. "I'm perfect. You're perfect. We're perfect. I'm perfect. I'm fine." I wasn't speaking right. The look on her face told me that. "Do you want a drink? Wait, no," I waved a hand dismissively, "no drinks."

"Fiyero."

"Wow. Is it hot in here or is it just me?"

"I need to go. Are you going to be okay if I leave you alone with Avaric?"

"Alone?" I ran a hand through my hair and huffed out a laugh. "I'm never going to be alone. You'll never be alone. I'll always be here for you. You know that?"

Elphaba stared at me as she pulled her satchel on and adjusted her hair to it. She told me she did and pressed a quick kiss to my lips. I pulled her back to me when she pulled away and gave her a sound on. It seemed like a good thing to do. A good thing. Good, good thing.

"Okay," she laughed, pushing away from me. "Go take a nap and sleep some of the alcohol off. I'll see you tomorrow okay."

I watched as she gather her other satchel. Was I supposed to tell her I loved her? Was that an appropriate response? Did I love her? Was it too soon to say it if I did? But did I? I think I did. I think I really did. So I called out for her before she slipped out the front door. She turned around and looked at me expectantly.

"I love…" I trailed off for a second before finishing with, "your hair. I love your hair a lot."

"Um," a look of concern came over her face. "Thank you, Fiyero. Yours is rather nice, as well." She gave me one last look before disappearing out the door.

"What the fuck was the about?" Avaric barked out as he laughed from his spot on the couch.

"Elphaba's pregnant," I said as I sunk into the armchair.

"What?" Avaric let out an unmanly sound.

"She was hiding these books from me at lunch with the girls, and I snuck a look at them when she was in the bathroom." I ran my hands over my face. "They're pregnancy books. Elphaba's pregnant." I dropped my head between my knees. This was happening. It's fine. Everything was cool. Elphaba was pregnant, and I was going to be a father. "Oh Oz, I'm going to be a father. Oh Oz."

"Are you sure she's actually pregnant?" Avaric asked skeptically.

"Who just reads pregnancy books?" I cried.

"Maybe she's just interested in the miracle of birth?" he offered but didn't sound convinced anymore. "Well, shit."

"Shit." I agreed.

"Well, I mean, this is supposed to happen, right? This is like one of her functions as your wife, yeah? So she's just doing her job."

"We've been so careful." I groaned, pulling a throw pillow over my face.

"If it's a boy, will you name it after me?"

**I was planning on writing Boq into this chapter, but his part would have been in the middle. I do have a yearning for frazzled and sassy Boq, though, so I'm promising you and myself that he'll be in the next chapter.**

**Eh? Interested? Intrigued? Please review!:)**


	10. Chapter 10

**You are all amazing!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Warning: Language. A homophobic remark. **

Tibbett had a reading of some of the texts he translated. They were beautiful. Albeit, they were some of the most depressing pieces of old words I had ever heard, but they were beautiful. A lot of people cried. The whole theatre, really. I think even Elphaba had a tissue shoved up to her nose to keep the snot from running all over her face. I had given her a considering look when I first noticed it. I wondered if her skin acted as a natural camouflage for the snot. I would be thoroughly impressed. I had to turn my attention back to Tibbett's crooning about someone named _Christabel _or something. Geraldine? I don't remember. Just that a lot of people cried and later told him he had done such a wonderful job at tapping into the deep emotions the poems required. Galinda and I were on the same page when she asked how these people would even know what was required if Tibbett was the first one to successfully (more or less) translate them.

We were sent away to make sure the apartment was in order for the guests. Not that our guests were anyone important. It wasn't like an important literary genius was going to show up to a small get together thrown at a student housing complex. Galinda and I got the hint, though. You can't rain on someone's parade no matter how justified and truthful the comments are. So we complained about it the whole way to my place and the entire time we did a sweep through of the one room we were using to host less than ten people.

More people cried at the party, which had nothing to do with me or Galinda making _inappropriate _comments. (Though it very well could have been the Vinkun Vixen we added to the punch, but we're not going to talk about that particular alcohol.) Nessarose, bless her soul, was the first one. I always knew she would be a lightweight. I think she had a drink the size of a cup of tea, and she was gone with two whistles. She was talking to Boq and Crope about something only she cares about, and there were times when she just sing one of her sentences. Of course, the two of them were taken aback, but no one else cared two twigs about Nessarose to notice. By the time Boq started bobbing his head to a tune that wasn't even playing yet is when Nessarose just burst out into song like we were living one of those musicals they play in the Emerald City. Galinda's makeup ran from laughing so hard when Nessarose started crying over how beautiful her own voice sounded.

Elphaba took her sister home after that. Galinda begrudgingly went with her after throwing a bit of a fit that involved tears. Elphaba was immune to tears, I had thought as I watched Elphaba keep a firm stance against her narcissistic sister and glitterbomb best friend. She gave us all a sweeping look and told us that if we weren't up and ready by ten the next morning for graduation, she was going to come back with pots and pans and a trick she learned from Madame Morrible. Most of them were too drunk already to be scared, but I was slightly turned on. There was something incredibly hot about Elphaba taking control. Or maybe it was the pregnancy hormones talking. I read in a magazine that men can experience sympathy symptoms when their partner is pregnant. Or maybe Elphaba was just sexually appealing to me.

"She's going to be a great mother," I sighed after she slammed the door shut.

"Not that you'll ever know," Crope snickered as he topped up everyone's cup. "Elphaba may be letting you hanky panky with her, but there is no way she's come around to the idea of carrying and giving birth to your spawn."

Later, when asked about it, I'd blame it on the alcohol, though I hadn't consumed much of it knowing what it was:

"Well, I hope you like the taste of your own foot, because Elphaba's pregnant."

There was a very uncomfortable pause after I said it and Crope dropped the pitcher of liquid onto the carpet. I realized as I was saying it that I shouldn't have been saying it. It was out, though. There was absolutely nothing I could do to take it back. So I was slightly worried about the stain the punch would make in the carpet. Sure, I had the money to pay to take care of it, but I have a baby on the way. I have to start thinking frugally. I can't just toss a gold bar here and there and expect my kid to respect and know the value of an emerald piece.

"If that stains, you're paying for it," I said, mostly to fill the silence.

"Fiyero, my friend, we need to have a talk about timing," Avaric said from across the room.

"Tibbett's poems were depressing enough, this news just makes the night better."

"First off," Tibbett spoke up, "fuck you. And second, unless your future offspring is more like Elphaba then my poetry is a fucking sunny Sunday compared to the hell the fruit of your loins will wreak."

"At least I'll be putting a child into this world," I snapped.

"My sexuality has nothing to do with my ability to produce sperm, you ignorant cock."

"This drink is way too frothy for us to be talking about cocks and sperm," Boq mumbled from where he was cradling his drink under the desk. He took a long drink before adding, "Does Elphaba know?"

Tibbett clamped his mouth shut as he was prepared to cut Boq off before he had even started. Crope opened and shut his mouth a couple times, like he couldn't find the right words to say. Avaric just started chugging whatever was left in his cup.

"Does Elphaba know…" I trailed off uncertainly for a moment but finished, "that she's pregnant?"

"Seems like she ought to," the Munchkin grunted as if offended.

"Yes, Boq, Elphaba knows that there is a tiny human being growing inside of her uterus right now."

"Good," he nodded his head, and I looked around for someone to help me. "You can't just keep something like that from her."

I patted his leg, "Just keep drinking, buddy."

"Munchkins," Avaric scoffed, "only a step above Quadlings."

"Weren't you raised by Munchkins?" Tibbett chided lightly as I said, "Watch it, the mother of my child is Munchkin."

"Agh!" Crope waved the damp rag he had gotten at me. "Don't say that. I haven't had enough time to process all this yet."

"Well, hold onto your britches, because you haven't heard the best part about baby Avaric," Avaric smirked. I glowered at him. We were not naming the baby after him. "Go on, Fifi, tell the boys."

"You didn't do something stupid, did you?" Tibbett frowned at me.

"When have you known Fiyero to not do something stupid, Tibbett?"

Tibbett shrugged a shoulder and looked at me expectantly.

I'll admit that I was feeling a tad sheepish about it.

"Elphaba doesn't know-"

"I told you that you have to tell her, you stupid Vinkun prick!" Boq barked from where he was pouring more for himself.

"-that I know," I snapped to finish, looking at the Munchkin.

"Aww," Boq gasped as if he was a teenage girl.

"Who are you?" Crope laughed at him.

"Boq of Munchkinland, son of Bfee, future-"

"Okay, boy scout," Crope patted Boq's head and steered him back into the living room. "What do you mean Elphaba doesn't know you know? What? Did you look through her things?"

Another silence settled over the room, and I looked to Avaric for help but the bastard just smirked behind his drink.

"Fiyero, you did not," Tibbett gave me a look.

"She showed up late to brunch the other day and had this bag with her that she wouldn't let me see. So I let it go for the meal, but it was just sitting there on the counter when she went to use my bathroom. Probably to deal with whatever pregnant people have to deal with. So I just took a peek, and they were a bunch of pregnancy books."

Crope and Tibbett stared at me.

"This was the most anticlimactic story I've ever heard." Crope stood back up and went into the kitchen to get some food.

"That was it? That's your proof that she's pregnant? Books?"

"In his defense, who just reads pregnancy books? I've known Elphaba for a long time, and I can't remember a time she's ever shown interest in _that._"

"Oh my Oz, I don't know which of you is denser. Elphaba studies everything. Remember last year when she studied the history of mathematical theory? Why in the Wizard's name would she study that? It doesn't matter. It's new material. Elphaba likes the challenge. This pregnancy business is new material and something she's going to have to acquaint herself with."

Crope nodded in agreement, "Think about it. She likes to be in control of herself, and being pregnant means her body will be in control of her. This is probably Elphaba's way of thinking that she'll have a leg up on nature by being prepared for what she's going to have to endure."

"Did you know that the vagina-"

"Shut up, Boq," Avaric threw a pillow at him. I let out a breath of relief when the Munchkin kept the drink from spilling. "Elphaba's had years to read about pregnancy. The only reason she'd research it so in depth would be because it's actually happening."

"Who the fuck researches the _history of_ _mathematical theory_?" Crope cried. "What situation would that be required?"

"I know Fiyero's wife, and I'm telling you that her reading these books means something."

Tibbett stared at Avaric before turning it on me for a concerning moment or two. "I just want to shake you until you're not stupid anymore, but I don't want to touch you and catch your stupid."

"I've gotten perfect marks all term, thank you very much," I snapped back.

"Alright, children," Avaric sighed. "Not a word of this is breathed until Elphaba opens up about it. The last thing we need is a steamed asparagus with a handle on magic." Tibbett very much looked like he didn't want to let it go, but he gave a light eye roll and shoved my shoulder lightly before telling me that he'd be happy to help me with Elphaba's new circlet.

Vinkuns weren't an ornate people. Even as royalty, we didn't live as lavishly as some of the families in the Gillikin. Sure, Kiamo Ko was a massive structure, and we had a second castle in Kvon Altar, but they were both structures from antiquity that served good use nowadays. Kiamo Ko was the first castle built by the Arjiki tribe when we were the first tribe to rise to power centuries ago. The castle in Kvon Altar was built by an old tribe, one that had since died out, when they were in power a couple decades after the Scrow had taken power. It was the only remaining evidence of their existence, so every new King upheld the proclamation to keep it standing and maintained. The people recruited to maintain it, mostly those who have no place to call home or can't afford to settle, inhabit the castle. Certain rooms are set aside for show of what the lost tribe lived like, but the majority of the castle is a home for those who have none.

Anyway, my point is that though we don't spend a ludicrous amount on finer linens or utensils, but we take a great pride in our circlets. Of course, we don't get too extravagant with the designs or materials, but the collections of circlets in the vaults of Kiamo Ko are worth more than any fortune owned by any given person in the Vinkus. The circlets stretched back for centuries. Rows and rows of circlets, showing the rich history of Vinkun ruling families. The circlets ranged from my mother's own all the way to the first King of the Vinkus after the fall of the tribal anarchy that had been in place until the first time Munchkinland tried to take the Vinkus. You get a heavy feeling being down there and seeing all the circlets of the departed. Circlets have always been an important part of Vinkun culture.

You couldn't just have any circlet, though. There was a way about the circlets as there was with most things. Each circlet was particular to the person wearing it, and it was typically designed by their spouse. Or in the event of not being wed, by the person closest to the one wearing it. You get the original circlet when you turn thirteen, because it's when you're viewed as breaking into adulthood. Girls normally have started their _thing_, and both sexes have gone on their first quest, properly placing them into Vinkun society. The original circlet is nothing more than a piece of metal placed on your head. There's absolutely nothing special about it. It isn't even fitted half the time. It just sits there as a sign of what's to come.

When you're married, your circlet first changes. You get a second band, and both bands are fitted and designed especially for the wearer. You don't design your own, though, as I said. Elphaba and I had designed each other's circlet. I'd spent months trying to design hers. It was important. It was something that would show that I was accepting her into my world, something that would be a mark of my value of my wife as well as my own cultural history. I worked with the people welding it closely, pointing out how I wanted certain parts manipulated to resemble leaves of the Vinkus' deepest rooted tree. They did it perfectly of course, and the second band wove, rose, and fell between the first that was made to look like a slick branch with several tiny leaves. And set in the center was a turquoise gemstone that was particular to the Vinkus and matched the color of Vinkun tattoos.

If you have a child, ones who aren't bastards, you get another band that is designed to mesh with second circlet. Each child was represented by its own band. If a child died, though, the band was still kept but was burnt black to signify the loss. The same holds true with the spouse. If I were to die, Elphaba would chose the more intricate of the bands and have it torched to show that I was no longer in this world. Elphaba being pregnant, though, meant that I needed to add to her circlet. Tibbett had always been fascinated by that part of our culture, so I promised him that I'd let him in on helping next time I had to design a band.

The five of us were up and ready by the time ten rolled around the next morning. All of us were hunched over a cup of Vinkun coffee, but the others were complaining about a hangover that I did not have. I refrained from telling them about what Galinda and I slipped in. It was probably better for everyone if they didn't know.

"Don't look so disappointed," I frowned at Elphaba when her face fell after I answered the door, dressed as I should have been.

"Don't talk so loud," Boq grumbled from where his head was buried in his arms.

"I'm sorry. What was that, Boq?" Elphaba asked, louder than necessary.

"Don't be mean," I leaned against the doorframe, "he had just as much to drink as Avaric, and he's half his size."

"Is that supposed to be impressive?" She raised her brows, looking at me then at Boq. "He's been drinking with you two idiots for years."

"He's still a very small man," Tibbett said, draining the rest of his coffee and then ruffling Boq's hair.

"I hate you all." Boq gave a long suffering sigh as he pushed himself off the stool and shuffled towards the door.

"Awe, come on, Biq Boq," Crope, who was much more energetic than he had any right to be at this hour, skipped up to the Munchkin and threw his arm around Boq's shoulders, "don't be heartless."

Elphaba, Avaric, and I broke away from the others when we got to the courtyard outside of the auditorium where the ceremony would be taking place. My father and Baako were by the fountain, smiling and talking amicably with people who had probably never been in the presence of royalty before. They scattered when I broke through and grasped Baako in a tight hug.

"Where's Nessarose and your father, Fabala?" Baako asked, craning his neck to scan the crowd.

I scratched the back of my neck as Elphaba told Baako that Frex and Nessarose weren't coming to the ceremony. Baako, who was just as incapable of keeping comments to himself as I was, managed to keep his mouth shut. She went on to say that Nessarose had caught something from being out last night, and Frexspar was busy with work. Though, I suppose Baako just outright staring, slack mouth at her probably wasn't any better than whatever comments he would have made.

"Then we'll just have to invite Masters Boq and Tibbett along to dine with us after," My father said, kissing Elphaba's temple and talking her hand.

Madame Morrible came and whisked Elphaba away as the ceremony drew closer. She paid her respects to my father, brother, and (begrudgingly) myself before fussing over Elphaba's robes, dragging her away from our little group.

The ceremony itself was normal, nothing truly spectacular. Elphaba was recognized as being the top of the class and also for having finished two degrees in two years' time. The charmed circle hooted and hollered for her, earning each of us disapproving glares from the people around us. Elphaba, of course, shot us her own glare, but I saw the darkened skin at her neck that was threatening to make its way up her face. She sat back down after receiving something for her efforts and then, one by one, the graduates of Crage Hall were called up and given their diplomas and a firm handshake from Madame Morrible. A couple girls broke down crying, a few looked like they were nothing short of relieved, but most of them just looked bored and ready for the entire thing to be done with. Elphaba smiled, though. She had a big dumb grin on her face until she was one the stage, and the grin stretched into a wide smile.

"If only her father could see her like this," my father said quietly as Elphaba caught our gazes on her way back to her seat.

I winked at her, and my father nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"He wouldn't know what he was looking at even if he had shown up."

"He's coming up to get Nessa tomorrow," Avaric said from his spot in front of us.

My father hummed and nodded his head. Baako gave him a frown and then glanced at me.

"Well, we'll have to dine with him tomorrow, then."

"That sounds ominous, father," Baako whispered as another name was called.

"Hush and watch the ceremony, son."

My father didn't mention Frexspar to Elphaba or I at dinner, which made his threat—because that was a threat—even more terrifying. Baako and I excused ourselves to go to the bathroom halfway through dinner when Avaric was whispering things in Galinda's ear that were making her blush and the rest of the table was weighing in on a discussion Elphaba started. Tibbett gave us a critical gaze as we got up and told whoever was listening to order us another glass of whatever we were having. I waved him off, hoping to communicate that everything was fine.

"Do you think Father's going to assassinate him?" Baako asked the second we were safely in the bathroom.

"When has Father ever given an order to assassinate anyone?"

"When would we ever know about an attempt given on Father's orders?"

I stopped undoing my pants to consider it. Fair enough.

"Father isn't going to put a hit on him. If anything, he'll be so terrifyingly polite that the Governor will crack under the bittersweet setup of it all."

Baako nodded, "I still can't believe he wouldn't even show up for his own daughter's graduation. How many people can say they finished a double major in two years? On top of all the other things she was doing?" Baako shook his head.

"You know Frexspar doesn't give two twigs for anyone but Nessarose. As far as he's concerned, Elphaba stopped being an obligatory consideration when she moved to Kiamo Ko."

"What is he going to do when she finally gets pregnant?" Baako lowered his voice. "Continue to keep her at a distance? What kind of monster wants nothing to do with his own family?"

"He'll probably make a scene and call for it to be taken care of if it's green."

When we first caught on to how ridiculous Elphaba was treated by Frexspar, Baako and I had to consistently be reminded that different cultures had different approaches to family life. As is clear, we both had issues keeping our opinions to ourselves. I had poor timing; Baako had no filter. And back then we were just two opinionated boys with too many people listening to them. We stopped watching what we were saying after we realized what complete crap we were being told. We had met some of the other families in Munchkinland. They had solid family units. Some were a bit off the path of normality, but Frexspar was the only one we knew to treat the children as he does.

"What will you do if you two have a green child?" Baako asked me quietly while he slowly washed his hands. I glanced over my shoulder at him as I finished up my pants. "I mean, I know Elphaba isn't in any rush, and you said you haven't talked about it-"

"She is," I whispered. I heard the bar of soap fall into the sink.

"What?"

I joined him at the sink and cleared my throat before answering, "She is. Pregnant, I mean."

Whatever reaction I was expecting was not the one I got. I let out a rush of breath when Baako threw himself at me, wrapping his arms tightly around my shoulders and practically squeezing the life out of me. For a second I thought he was trying to kill me until he let out a giddy, schoolgirl squealing giggle. I groped blindly for a rag to dry my hands with, but the boy had a vice like grip.

"You just made me two emerald pounds richer!" He cried, pressing kisses to the side of my face like a dog.

I pushed him away. "Did you place bets?"

"Only with about a dozen others. Not that much!"

"You're terrible."

"You're doing to be a dad!" Baako grabbed my shoulders and shook me. He got still then and looked me in the eye, "Will you name the baby after me?"

"Gods, you're just as bad as Avaric," I grunted, pushing him off of me again and wiping my hands.

"I can't believe Elphaba let you get her pregnant."

"Why do you all say that?"

Baako shrugged and then hopped up onto the counter in the corner, digging through his front inside pocket for a cigarette and his matchbook. I took one that he offered for me and lit it off his own. Someone came in when we were trying to relight mine, but neither of us saw who it was. I figured Baako thought it was safer to speak in our native tongue rather than keep up in general Ozian. Not many people spoke our language. Usually just government officials and the Vinkus' own people.

"Are you scared?" Baako asked, blowing out a cloud of smoke.

"A bit," I watched my cigarette eat away at itself. "I'm afraid of losing her."

"Elphaba?"

"Neither of us grew up with mothers," I sighed. "What if she dies in childbirth?"

"Well, at least you won't have to worry until the second child."

"Baako!"

"I'm sorry!" Baako laughed. "Fiyero, Bax was sick when she went into labor to begin with. If childbirth hadn't killed her, she wouldn't have made it to see my first birthday. And Frexspar had Melena eating that damned plant. It's even illegal in the Vinkus. He made her chew it her entire pregnancy. Frexspar Thropp killed his own wife because of that giant public opinion stick shoved up his…" Baako trailed off after a stall door opened.

I looked over at whoever was walking out and had to take a double look.

Frexspar Thropp (because of course it was) jerked his head in acknowledgement, "_Ashiike _[boys]."

Baako and I watched in silence as he washed his hands then came over to the mirror right next to us, adjusting his clothes in it and then his hair. He repeated himself before strolling out of the bathroom like everything was fine. I didn't even know what to feel. Confused as to why he was even here. Pissed off that he was here and wasn't part of our dinner group. Murderous that he was here and hadn't even gone to the graduation.

"Fiyero."

"Hm?"

"Does Frexspar speak Arjiki?"

And like the cat that caught the canary because, "Yes," Frexspar was one of the only people I knew fluent in all of the languages recognized in Oz.

**This was just Elphaba's graduation ceremony. Since everyone else was doing continuing education, they'd graduation would have been earlier. **

**So? Still interested? Still intrigued? Let me know:)**


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